


She Used To Be Mine

by snarkysweetness



Series: Fix a Heart [2]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Earned Redemption Arc, F/F, F/M, Gen, Not Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 2 Compliant, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-18 06:02:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 30,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28862235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snarkysweetness/pseuds/snarkysweetness
Summary: The continuation of the Season Two AU: Follow Skye and Team SHIELD through a series of flashbacks that fill in the puzzle of the past three and a half years. And after finally facing her trauma in therapy, Skye is left with the daunting task of opening up to Ward about the secret she’s been keeping.
Relationships: Clint Barton/Natasha Romanov, Kate Bishop/Antoine Triplett, Lance Hunter/Bobbi Morse, Leo Fitz/Jemma Simmons, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Phil Coulson/Melinda May, Skye | Daisy Johnson/Grant Ward
Series: Fix a Heart [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2108697
Comments: 38
Kudos: 59





	1. (Skye) How Can I Love When I’m Afraid to Fall?

**Author's Note:**

> Heyo! Here’s part 2 of the series. These first two chapters are more of 'previously on' to keep us linked together, so enjoy the encore of the porn.

**_Then: April 2014_ **

_Skye stood in the hallway, trying not to let it show that the chill from the outside air had left her nipples hard. Or maybe it was the sight of him in the beginning stages of a beard with that bruised face. She hated to admit it, but he was sexy as hell when he was covered in blood. And she couldn’t help but wonder how the beard would feel brushing up against her thighs._

_She gave him a smile as the doors closed behind him and took a few steps towards him to inspect his face in the light. She winced when she realized how bad it was and reached up to touch his cheek._

_“You okay?” Just because it was hot didn’t mean she was okay with him being hurt._

_“Oh, it’s just a scratch,” he insisted, pulling away like the macho idiot that he was. “Maybe a broken rib or two,” he admitted, wincing as he pulled off his pack._

_Skye shot him a glare, unamused with how blasé he was being over a broken rib._

_Her boyfriend was an idiot._

_“Come on,” she ordered, pulling the zipper on his jacket down with a non-threatening glare. “Simmons should take a look at you.” To which he rolled his eyes._

_“Then maybe we can get that drink,” she offered, trying not to smirk as he perked up and stared down at her like he was already undressing her._

_“Deal.”_

_Skye turned on her heels and rolled her eyes._

Typical.

_“Hey, wait,” he whispered, grabbing her by the elbow._

_Skye glanced back to find him staring down at her with this_ look _that sent flutters through her stomach._

_“Yeah?” She whispered, holding her breath as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her against him._

_“Come here,” he whispered, giving her a smile as he tilted his head down._

_Skye leaned up, meeting his lips halfway. He moaned into her mouth and Skye sighed into his, running her fingers along the back of his neck._

_Grant nibbled on her lower lip as he backed her up against the wall. Taking her face in his hands, he kissed her again, like he’d never kiss her again, and her knees went weak._

_Skye pulled away, needing air, and he went for her neck, his hands sliding up her sides._

_“Baby, not here,” she muttered, struggling to keep her composure._

_Holy shit that mouth of his was good._

_“Your bunk or mine,” he asked, kissing her on the mouth again._

_He was such a presumptuous little prick._

_“I told you I’m not sleeping with you,” she huffed against his lips, her fingers in his hair now._

_“You sure about that?”_

_Coulson cleared his throat loudly and they stopped kissing._

_Skye glanced over Grant’s shoulder to find the boss and May giving them disapproving glares._

_She smiled and batted her eyes, hoping being cute would keep them out of trouble._

_“Hey,” she greeted, still holding onto Grant who only looked_ slightly _embarrassed._

_“You look like shit, Ward,” Coulson commented, staring down at the blood soaking through his jacket._

_Skye hadn’t even noticed how bad his injuries were and anger flared in her chest._

_“You’re going to see Simmons right now,” she ordered. And when she found whoever did this to him, she’d kill them if he hadn’t already. No one was allowed to hurt him. Not ever again. Not on her watch._

_Grant rolled his eyes._

_“I told you I’m fine.”_

_“You. Are. Not.”_

_He smirked and bopped her nose playfully._

_“You’re cute when you’re worried.”_

_Skye’s cheeks went red with fury._

_“Boss, tell him he has to stop being a stubborn ass and get those cuts and ribs looked at. One of them’s broken.” She smirked, knowing that would do the trick._

_“Come on, son, you need to get patched up.”_

_Grant gave her a_ look _and she didn’t care how annoyed he was, she was not letting him walk around injured like that._

_“Sit,” she ordered once they were in the small medical room._

_That shit-eating grin was back but Skye was unamused. She shoved him onto a stool and helped him out of his jacket, scowling with pain as she saw just how banged up he was. It physically hurt her to see him like this._

_If they were alone maybe she’d cry but mom and dad had followed to make sure they didn’t get up to anything, so they had to behave._

_At least, she planned to behave, he seemed to not care who was in the room because he pulled her between his legs and pressed a kiss to her forehead._

_“Stop fretting over me,” he whispered. “The overprotective girlfriend thing is hot, but I don’t need it.”_

_Skye shot him a death glare._

_“How in the hell am I not supposed to worry,” she snapped, pissed off._

_He was a real idiot sometimes. She knew he didn’t know how to be in a relationship, but he was high off his ass if he honestly thought she wasn’t going to take care of him._

_He gave her a warm smile and kissed her forehead again._

_“It’s bad enough you have to see me like this, I don’t need the rest of them doing it too,” he whispered._

_Warmth spread through her chest and she shook her head._

Idiot.

_“Too bad, I’m not letting you stay in pain so you can be macho in front of the team._

_Arms up,” she ordered, pulling his shirt off over his head._

_“Jesus, Ward,” May muttered as the bruises all over his chest came into view._

_Skye’s vision went red as she set his bloodied clothes aside and pulled off her own sweater so she could pull her shirt sleeves up. She grabbed a towel and ran it under the sink, wringing it out angrily._

_Grant seemed to catch on that now was not the time to argue with her because he said nothing as she began wiping the blood and dirt off his face and then his shoulders and chest._

_By the time she was done, Fitz, Simmons, and Trip had entered the room and Jemma gathered the medical supplies she’d need to disinfect his cuts, stitch them up, and wrap his ribs, which she insisted were just fractured and not broken, not that there was a difference to Skye._

_Shaking, Skye returned to the sink and washed her hands while she took deep breaths to calm herself._

_The team didn’t need to see her losing her shit over her boyfriend. Or whatever he was. They still needed to have that talk, so they could discuss their feelings, but she knew they were_ something _._

_As she watched Jemma patch him up, she couldn’t help but admire his body._

Damn.

_She couldn’t wait to get her hands on him._

_But that would have to wait because now it was his turn to go through the tedious process of earning his lanyard._

_Skye wasn’t surprised to hear him confess his feelings for her, she’d known for a while, but she was surprised that he’d done it in front of the others. It seemed he really didn’t give a damn anymore. And by the time they were finally alone there was a pleasant buzz in her veins, almost like she was drunk on happiness._

_No matter what happened next, they were finally on the same page. After over a year of dancing around their feelings they were finally together. And Skye couldn’t wait to see where it led._

_“You can’t choose to feel.” Skye whispered, shaking her head. As glad as she was to know May hadn’t meant anything to him, she was annoyed he was still trying to be a tough guy. He needed to drop the act already. She could see right through him._

_“Usually I can.” Skye bit her lip to keep from interrupting him. “It’s different with us.”_

_She blinked in surprise._

_"‘Us’ is a strong word._

_I mean, I know I kissed you,” she teased with a smile, “but to be fair, I thought there was a ninety-seven percent chance we were going to die._

_But we didn't die,” she reminded him._

_She didn’t want him rushing into this because she’d made the first move. She wanted him to be all in and ready, even if it meant having to wait a bit longer for there to be an_ ‘us’ _._

_Grant began pouring drinks and smirked in her direction._

_“Which is good.”_

_“Yes, that is very good,” she chuckled. “But there's still no rush on us being an ‘us’. It's not like it's a good time to start anything.”_

_She ignored the pounding her chest as he shrugged and smirked at her with_ that _smirk that sent heat pooling between her legs._

_“There's never a good time. We've got to start somewhere.” He offered, handing her a drink._

_Skye smirked back at him, feeling giddy. So, they were really doing this?_

_Grant leaned down and brushed his lips across hers with a smile._

_“I love you and I’m done hiding it.”_

_He…_

_Skye froze in shock. She knew she should say ‘I love you too’, because it was the truth, but she couldn’t believe he’d actually said the words,_ and _said them first._

_She followed him towards the sofa and took a seat across from him on the coffee table so she could meet his gaze._

_“If that's how you felt, you had a funny way of showing it.”_

_Sure, since she’d been shot, he’d stopped hiding how he felt but the months before then? He’d done nothing but push her away, even after she’d given him the chance to be with her in Dublin._

_“Specialists don't spend time with a lot of people,” he confessed. “The ones who do, we're all cut from the same cloth.”_

_“Black Kevlar?” She teased._

_“Trained to get the job done. Keep emotions in check._

_But you-_

_You're different.”_

_“‘Different’ bad?” She whispered, trying not to let disappointment creep in._

_“Bad for me. I didn't want to think about you. I wanted to stay focused.”_

_That explained a lot._

_“And then I saw you after you were shot, fighting to stay alive?” Her face fell. She didn’t remember much but she remembered the look on his face as she bled out on the ground. It was the moment she knew he loved her and the moment she wished she could speak to tell him she loved him too._

_“But you're right. I'm Kevlar. You're not.”_

_Skye shook her head. She hated that this is what he thought of himself. He was so much more than just a good soldier._

_“You don't have to be. You don't have to shut people out.” Shut_ her _out._

_“Yeah, I do. There are things about me that you wouldn't like if you knew.”_

_She made a face._

_“You think I don't have skeletons?” Even she didn’t know all of her demons, so he certainly didn’t._

_“It's different. You’re_ good _.”_

_“So are you,” she insisted. It killed her that he couldn’t see himself the way she saw him._

_“Not always,” he whispered, pain crossing his features._

_“I lied to you. My older brother didn't beat up my younger brother. He was crueler than that. He made me do it, and I let him because I was afraid of him.”_

_Her heart began to ache._

_“What about your parents?”_

_“They were worse.” She wanted to wrap her arms around him and keep him safe, but it was too late for that._

_“I am_ not _a good man, Skye.”_

_“Hey.”_

_She was not going to listen to that crap. He was good and kind and wonderful, and she loved him. No one was allowed to talk crap about her boyfriend, not even her boyfriend._

_Skye moved to join him on the couch and took his hand in hers while using the other to stroke his chin. She pulled his face towards hers, so he was forced to look her in the eyes._

_“Yes, you are.” She insisted, hoping someday he’d believe it._

_Grant stared back at her like she was the only thing left in this world that mattered to him. A moment later he reached up and pulled her towards him, kissing her desperately._

_Keeping a hand in his, she gripped the back of his neck with the other and kissed him back as he pulled her into his lap, his fingers entangled in her hair._

_Grant moaned loudly as Skye stroked the side of his neck._

_Kissing him always left her breathless and she pulled away, bumping his nose with hers as she stared back at him. As badly as she wanted him, she did not want to be caught dry humping on the couch by Koenig._

_“I love you too,” Skye whispered, holding his face in her hands._

_She’d never seen him look so happy and it filled her heart with happiness._

_He leaned up and kissed her again, his fingers still in her hair._

_“No,” Skye whispered, breaking away from him. He stared up at her like a wounded puppy and she stared back at him with a smile. “Not here, your bunk,” she clarified._

_Skye stood and took his hand before silently leading him towards the bus. She was sure Koenig would be occupied for hours with his stupid games, but she wasn’t going to take the risk. They’d waited long enough to be together and she didn’t want any interruptions._

_Everything was a mess and their lives were pretty much over, but she was going to enjoy being with him tonight._

_They didn’t even make it to the top of the landing before his mouth was on hers again. He wrapped his arms around her and tried to lift her into his arms, but he groaned in pain and Skye made a face as she remembered he had a fractured rib._

_“Grant, we don’t have to do this,” she whispered. They could just make out on the couch for a while. No further injuries required._

_He shook his head and pulled her towards her bunk, which was closer than his._

_“You’re worth a little pain.”_

_Skye shook her head._

Moron.

_“I mean it-” He cut her off with a kiss, closing the door to her pod behind him before pressing her against it, deepening their kiss._

_Skye moaned into his mouth and pulled his shirt up while he unbuttoned hers._

_Okay, so maybe if they did this really slow and carefully, they could manage it without fracturing another one of his ribs._

_“I love you,” he whispered again into her ear while trailing his lips across her neck. He shoved her shirt off her shoulders and pulled her closer, so he could make his way down to her breasts._

_Skye chest heaved heavily as she leaned her head back and held his head against her._

_His mouth was…_

_She felt dizzy._

_“There are condoms in my top dresser drawer,” she informed him, voice shaking. They needed to remember to be responsible before they lost their heads in lust._

_He grinned down at her and she narrowed her eyes in annoyance before he even opened her mouth._

_“I told you we were going to sleep together.”_

_“Shut up before I change my mind.”_

_He chuckled and turned to go through her drawer while she wrapped her arms around him from behind and kissed his back. She reached around his waist and took off his belt, far too impatient to wait for him to find the box of condoms she’d thrown in there months ago._

_“Someone’s ambitious,” he teased, holding up the box of extra-large condoms._

_Skye smirked with a shrug._

_“That bulge in your pants gave you away.” He didn’t need to know she’d used the spy glasses to see him naked._

_“So, you admit to starting at my di-Oww!” He laughed as she smacked his arm._

_“Shut up and take off your shirt,” Skye ordered. She’d have to take off his pants because she wasn’t sure he could do it himself._

_“Whatever you want, sweetheart.”_

_Skye watched him remove it with a smirk. He looked damn fine with his shirt off, even if she hated seeing his wrapped ribs._

_She reached out and lightly ran her fingers over them._

_“We’re going to have to get creative,” she informed him, glancing up at him with a smile._

_He shrugged and pulled her towards her bed._

_“I have a few ideas…but first I need you naked.”_

_“How long have you been waiting to say that?”_

_“Way too long.”_

_Skye shook her head and reached back to unhook her bra. She let it fall slowly, enjoying the look on his face as his eyes went wide at the sight of her bare breasts._

_She could probably just let him stare at them until he came but that wouldn’t be any fun for her._

_Skye finished getting naked, giving him a little shimmy here and there while she did it, just to keep him entertained._

_Once she was down to just her birthday suit, he held his hand out for her and pulled her against him. He buried his fingers in her curls and pulled her mouth to his._

_Skye hummed against his lips and unbuttoned his jeans, tugging them off as gently as she could along with his briefs. She slipped her hand between his legs, but he shoved it away, shaking his head._

_“Wait,” he instructed, scooting back until his back hit her pillows. He winced a few times along the way and while she admired his bravado, she still wasn’t sure they could do this without breaking him._

_He made a come-hither motion with his fingers and Skye climbed onto the bed and very carefully straddled his hips._

_“Grant, maybe we should wait-”_

_“Shh, not happening,” he whispered, sliding a hand between their bodies._

_Skye’s words died in her throat as a moan escaped her lips instead._

_His fingers were rough and calloused and skilled, and she had to hold onto the wall to keep from gripping his shoulders and hurting him._

_“Right there, Grant,” she ordered, rocking her hips against his hand. Tension built in her belly, sweat trickled down her neck, and she clawed at the wall, fighting the urge to mount his dick and ride him for the rest of the night._

_“Let go sweetheart,” he whispered, pressing his lips to hers. “I’ve got you.”_

_Skye whimpered against his mouth. How was he so fucking sexy? Honestly, it was unfair. She’d never stood a chance._

_Grant kissed her temple moments later, after she’d come, and while she struggled to catch her breath and keep herself from collapsing against his chest._

_“How mad would you be if I broke this rib going down on you,” he muttered as she grabbed his face for a kiss._

_“_ Very _.”_

_“It’d be worth it.”_

_Skye rolled her eyes._

Men.

_“Next time,” she promised, brushing her lips across his. “When that rib of yours is healed we’ll stay in here for days.”_

_He stared back at her sadly because they both knew that was probably never going to happen but hey, a girl could dream._

_“Now, you’re going to have to let me do this really slowly,” Skye whispered, wrapping her hand around his dick. “I don’t want to have to tell Jemma I broke you during sex.”_

_He chuckled and ran a hand up her spine._

_“I think we’re going to have to do it the boring, old fashioned, missionary way.”_

_Skye mock pouted. “_ Fine _, I guess if we_ have _to.” As if having him on top of her would be the worst thing in the world._

_She was sure the sex would be a million times better if they didn’t have his injuries to deal with but it was still pretty damn good._

_Skye couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so blissfully happy._

_She buried her face in Grant’s neck to hide her smile, feeling slightly guilty that with everything going on she felt so at peace._

_He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. She felt safe with him; nothing could get her with black Kevlar protecting her._

_Grant trailed kisses along her shoulders, then neck, and finally her cheek before pressing their foreheads together._

_“Hey?” Skye whispered, wrapping her hands around the back of his neck. “What’s the matter?” She knew him well enough to know when he was brooding. Was it her? Did he regret the sex? Telling her he loved her? Or was it about Garrett?_

_“Nothing,” he lied._

_Skye frowned._

_“This is me, Grant. You can tell me anything.”_

_He brushed a thumb across her cheek with a smile._

_“Nothing’s wrong._

_It’s just…”_

_He linked their fingers together, moving their joined hands to his chest as he stared down at her with that same stupid, beautiful expression he’d been wearing when he told her he loved her._

_“You’re perfect. I’m not used to feeling like this,” he admitted with a smile. “I still can’t believe we did that.”_

_“Yeah? Want to do it again?”_

_He stared down at her with a smile and pressed a kiss to her knuckles._

_“I love you.”_

_“I love you too,” Skye whispered, leaning up to kiss him._

_When they finally came back up for air, he moved his hand into her hair and gazed down at her seriously._

_“No matter what happens after this, I need you to remember how much I love you. And that I’ll never stop. You’re the most important person in this world to me. My heart belongs to you.”_

_Her cheeks were red, and she was close to tears, and she had to kiss him because she wasn’t sure she could speak without ruining the moment._

_“You’re an idiot,” she muttered, holding his face in her hands while she kissed him some more._

_“But you still love me?”_

_“Shut up and kiss me some more so I can show you how much.”_

_She didn’t know how but he was already ready to go again, so Skye climbed on top of him, pressing her knees to the mattress to keep her weight off him._

_“You’re a little minx,” he smirked, impressed._

_“Shut up and let me fuck you, Ward,” she ordered as he ran his hands over his ass._

_“Whatever you want, sweetheart,” he replied with a chuckle. “Just as long as you come up here and ride my face while you’re at it.”_

_Her cheeks went red and she shook her head._

_What a jackass._


	2. (Skye) Built from All I Have Torn Apart

**_Yesterday: October 24, 2017_ **

They’d somehow managed to go three more rounds before he needed to take a break to rest. And while he lay in her bed, passed out, she’d crept away to get them some food and then…

Skye didn’t want to think about the rest.

She just wanted to remember the way his eyes had stared into hers while they’d made love. She wanted to remember the way it made her feel. Safe. Loved. Protected. Like nothing bad would ever happen.

She sighed and rested her chin on her knees, holding them against her chest.

Skye had loved him so much and she wanted them to be _‘us’_ again. but there was still so much for them to work through.

“Morning, mama. What you finking about?” Alice asked, hopping onto the mattress, breaking Skye out of her day dreaming.

Skye gave her a smile, admiring those stunning eyes of her before pulling her into her lap and kissing her cheek.

“I was just thinking about how you have your daddy’s eyes. Did you know that?” Big, beautiful chocolate eyes like a puppy.

Alice smiled and pressed her hands to Skye’s cheeks.

“Is that why you sad, mama?”

Skye chuckled and shook her head.

“I’m not sad, baby.”

“Uh huh, you always sad on my birthdays.”

Skye’s smile fell, and she ran a hand over Alice’s curls, shaking her head.

“I’m not sad because of your birthday, baby girl. I’m sad because when you were born, your other…”

No.

She was not going to let her grow up thinking that man was her grandfather. Biology meant jack shit. Phil Coulson was her only grandfather.

“The bad man who took you away from mommy told her you died, and it broke mommy. Even though I got you back, I’m still so scared that’s he’s going to come back for you and I’m never going to see you again. Mommy never wants to lose you. I love you.”

“I love you too,” Alice smiled, kissing Skye’s nose. “And no worry, mama; daddy won’t let the bad man take me.”

Skye smiled sadly and set Alice down in her lap, so she could wrap her arms around her.

“That’s right, baby girl. Your daddy won’t let anyone hurt you ever again,” she whispered, trying not to cry. She knew she couldn’t live in the past, but she’d never forgive herself for sending him away. If she hadn’t, he would have kept them safe.

“Mama?” Alice whispered.

Skye wiped at her eyes.

“Yes baby?”

“When can we tell daddy he my daddy? I no like lying.”

Skye kissed the top of her head before glancing down at her.

“Daddy’s sick, baby. And so is mommy. Sometimes, when bad things happen, and you get too sad it makes your brain…” _Broken_ wasn’t the right word but it was the only way a child could understand. “Broken. And mommy needs to make sure that when she tells daddy what the bad man did, that it doesn’t make him sicker. And if mommy tells him the truth about you, it means she has to tell him the whole truth. Do you understand?”

“No.”

Skye smiled. Of course, she didn’t. She was a baby.

“Mama is going to tell him soon. I promise. I just need to make sure that telling him doesn’t make him so sad we lose him again.”

Alice nodded.

“I want daddy to stay forever.”

“Me too.”

“That mean you still love daddy?”

“Yes,” Skye whispered. “I love you both, so much, and I love that he gave me the best present in the world: you.”

Alice smirked to herself happily.

“I a good present?”

Skye kissed her cheek with a chuckle.

“The best.”

“Can you tell daddy for my birthday? That can be my present.”

“Baby, I promise you it’s not going to take me a year to tell him,” Skye laughed.

Alice giggled.

“No, mama, for my _other_ birthday.”

Oh, right, her _other_ birthday.

New Year’s.

That was more than doable.

“I think I can arrange that.”

“You the best, mama,” Alice said, hugging her tight.

Skye hugged her back and stared out into the hallway just as Grant emerged from his room.

Their eyes met for a moment and she smiled into Alice’s hair, holding her tighter as he disappeared down the hall.

“Don’t you ever forget how perfect you are, Alice Ward,” she whispered, grateful that despite all the ways she and Grant had managed to fuck everything up, they’d managed to do one good thing with their lives.

“Because you and daddy make me that way,” she giggled.

Skye pulled away and bopped nose with a grin.

“That’s right, we did.”

“Because you love each other?”

This child was truly Grant Ward’s. An adorable little shit who Skye was unable to resist loving with everything she had.

“Yes, because we love each other.”

“Hey, kiddo, let’s get some breakfast.”

Skye glanced up to find her parents and Robin in the doorway. She’d reluctantly agreed to this before dawn, after spending the entire night in Robin’s office, pouring her pain out.

“I changed my mind. I want to talk to Ward, now.”

“Skye, you need to sleep,” her mother insisted. “Your dad and I will take care of her today and she can sleep with us tonight. Tomorrow, after you’ve cleared you head, you can see him.”

It wasn’t that she was so desperate to run to him now. She’d survive waiting another day to talk to him. But…

She hadn’t spent a night apart from Alice since Tony’s doctors had cleared them to leave the hospital. What if she took those pills and something bad happened and she was unable to keep Alice safe?

That fear was what kept her up most nights.

“I can’t do this.” On the day she was born she was taken away from her, and maybe it wasn’t Alice’s birthday anymore, but she couldn’t be apart from her, not so close to the anniversary of nearly losing her.

Her mother joined her on the bed and took her hands in hers.

“Yes, you can. Your father and I will stay by her side until you wake up, and Bobbi is going to stay with you, and Hunter and Ward are across the hall. Even if he breaks down the doors with Hydra’s army at his side, he won’t get anywhere near her. I know you’re scared, baby, I’m terrified every time you leave this base, but you need to take care of yourself, so you can take care of her.”

“No worry, mama. You take nap. The bad man won’t get past my daddy.”

Skye pulled Alice into her arms and buried her face in her hair.

“I love you. You be good for grandma and grandpa.”

“Promise.”

After a minute Skye reluctantly let her go so Melinda could take her.

Robin held out a sleeping pill and Skye stared up at her, shaking her head.

“That’s a full pill, I only want to take half.”

“Take the entire thing and I promise to stop trying to get you to take your meds.”

Skye could feel how much it pained her to concede but it was what she needed to throw the damn thing back and curl up on her side to wait for it to kick in.

“All right everyone out, we’ve got some cuddling to do,” Bobbi announced, shooing them all out of her room.

“No, leave it open,” Skye whispered before she could close the door.

“Fine, but you worry too much,” Bobbi teased as she climbed into bed with her and wrapped her arms around her.

Tears filled Skye’s eyes and she fought off a panic attack.

“You’ll wake me up if anything happens? Even if she just scrapes her knee?”

Bobbi kissed Skye’s temple and gave her a squeeze.

“If she so much as sneezes I will pour an ice bucket over you.”

Skye took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She wasn’t sure she’d sleep, even with the drugs, but at least this gave her time to play out different scenarios in her head. Because when she woke up, she and Grant needed to have a very long talk and Skye still had no idea how to tell him.


	3. (Skye) What Kind of Heart Doesn’t Look Back?

Skye leaned into Bobbi, battling the urge to fight off the effect of Robin’s drugs.

“Shh, rest,” she heard Wanda whisper, and before she could open her eyes to thank her, she felt the tingling her temples that came with Wanda’s powers, and she was thrust into darkness, reliving everything she’d just told Robin about.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

**_April 2014_ **

Skye. _Punch_. Hated. _Punch_. His. _Punch_. Guts. _Punch_.

She didn’t let the stinging in her hands stop her. She gave them a quick shake and went right back to wailing on the bag. With each hit she imagined she was hitting Ward in the face again. She wished she’d hit him harder. Maybe it would have knocked some sense into him.

Her heart was racing, her hair clung to her skin, drenched with sweat, and she was exhausted, but she couldn’t stop. If she stopped, she’d have to think, and the last thing she needed to do right now was think.

If she stopped to think then she’d think about _him_ , and that was way too fucking depressing.

_“I woke up and you were gone. Are you okay?”_

_No, she wasn’t okay. She wanted to scream. The man she loved, the man she’d-_

_Skye wanted to throw up._

_He was a murderer, and a traitor, and she’d been stupid enough to fall for yet another man’s lies._

_“I’m fine,” she lied, giving him a smile. “I just got up to get us a snack.”_

_He stared down at her empty hands and she could see the panic on his face._

_Would he kill her too? Once he found out she knew the truth?_

_“Skye? You can talk to me. Tell me the truth.”_

_She wanted to laugh. Like he knew anything about the truth._

_“Honestly?” He wasn’t the only who could lie well. “I got scared.”_

_He looked like a wounded puppy and she was glad. He deserved to suffer but she knew she needed to play along to stay alive._

_“Opening up to you like that…and the sex…”_

_“Which was good, right?”_

_Skye’s smile was somewhat genuine._

_“It was_ very _good,” she admitted._

_At least it had been before._

_Now it was tainted._

_“But you know me, I don’t know how to do this. Commitment, staying in one place…_

_I freaked out for a minute, and when I freak out, I run. But I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”_

_Ward reached up to touch her cheek._

_“Are you sure you’re okay? It’s okay to be afraid. You’re not the only one who doesn’t know how to do this.”_

_Skye fought back her anger and leaned up, pressing her lips to his. She needed a moment to gather the courage to keep up this charade, and Ward was easy to distract. Once they broke apart, she stared up at him with a coy smile._

_“I’m good. I want_ this _.” There had been a time, about an hour ago, when seeing him smile at her like that would do things to her, like make her stomach flutter, but now it only made her stomach churn. “And you? What do you want?”_

_“What I want is to stay here with you and imagine the world outside doesn't exist.”_

_Good, she had him right where she needed him to be._

Skye punched the bag harder than she’d ever hit anything in her life.

She couldn’t believe it had only been three days since she’d finally gotten the chance to be with the love of her life and then immediately lost him.

Skye screamed in frustration and fell against the bag, needing to catch her breath.

She had to stop thinking about him like that. He wasn’t worth it. None of it had been real. He’d never loved her. Their entire relationship had been a lie.

She closed her eyes and fought back tears before immediately hitting the bag again. Her hands hurt like hell, but it was nothing compared to the pain in her heart.

“Fuck,” she growled, pulling her sore hand back and shaking it off. She reached for the tape and froze as she remembered all the times Ward had wrapped her hands and tended to her cuts and looked at her like she was his entire world.

Had it all really been a lie?

_“Skye,” he gurgled, staring up at her as he writhed in pain._

_She couldn’t keep watching this. He was dying and calling her name and she couldn’t let him die._

_“Bring him back!”_

That had just been yesterday. He’d lied right there, only a few feet away, dying. And she hadn’t been able to bear the thought of living in a world without him in it.

“I’m so stupid,” Skye muttered to herself, falling to her knees and giving in to the urge to cry.

Everything from the past few days was a blur. Finding Eric’s body. Being kidnapped by the man she loved. Watching him die. Saving his life. The ugly things they’d said to one another out of anger. Seeing him carted off by guards before being admitted to their tiny hospital. Seeing Fitz’s lifeless body only a few feet away from where she knew they were treating Ward behind closed doors. Watching Jemma fall apart. Forcing herself to keep it together.

She couldn’t keep it together anymore. It was all too much. She was going to be sick.

Two arms wrapped around her from behind and she knew it was May. She’d been standing near the stairs, in silence, watching her for close to an hour. That was May for you. There was no need to fill silences with unnecessary chatter. She was just there. And that was what Skye needed right now.


	4. (Skye) Facing the Ghosts That Decide

**_April 2014_ **

Skye found herself staring up at the ceiling for the eighth night in a row. She didn’t know how the others could sleep. She hadn’t had a good night’s rest since before this Hydra nonsense. Since before she knew what kind of man Ward really was.

_“You don’t have to stay,” Skye whispered, trying not to wince from lying on her side. Her bed was too high up to get into comfortably, so she was sprawled out on the sofa, surrounded by pillows because Ward ‘didn’t want to take any risks’ with her safety._

_“Do you want me to go?” He had one arm wrapped protectively around her to ‘keep her from falling off’ and his face was buried in her hair. He’d stopped hiding his feelings for her weeks ago, but they were still pretending they were ‘just friends’. Because why rush it?_

_Skye glanced at him over her shoulder before shifting so they were face-to-face. She reached up and stroked his cheek, her heart racing when he leaned into her touch._

_“Stay as long as you want,” she whispered with a smile before burrowing herself in the crook of his neck._

That was the last time she’d slept through the entire night. Now she was lucky if she got more than an hour of sleep at a time.

She could hear Jemma sobbing quietly from across the room and Skye sighed to herself. Well, if neither one of them was going to sleep the least Skye could do was be there for her friend. After all, it was her boyfriend who had put Jemma’s into a coma.

Skye slipped out of bed and climbed into Jemma’s, wrapping her arms around her.

“Shh, Jem, I’m here.”

Jemma hiccupped loudly, and Skye stroked her hair, trying to calm her.

“They won’t even let me see him,” she cried.

“I know,” Skye whispered, unsure of what to say.

“They’re going to take him away.”

“So Tony’s doctors can save him,” Skye assured.

The Avengers had been in for quite the shock when Phil Coulson had shown up at their door, alive, but they’d jumped at the chance to help him. Fitz needed all the help he could get, and his life wasn’t something the boss was willing to gamble with. As soon as it became clear their doctors couldn’t help him, he’d gone straight to someone who could help, even if it meant outing Nick and himself as liars.

“What if he dies, Skye?”

“Hey,” Skye said firmly, pulling back to stare at her. They had a small nightlight in their room, because Jemma began having panic attacks in the dark, so she could see how red and puffy Jemma’s eyes were. “Fitz is not going to die,” she insisted. “He’ll pull through this. Fitz is too stubborn to die.”

This should have earned her at least a smile but Jemma’s lower lip began to wibble.

“Even if he survives, he might not be the same. He was deprived of oxygen for too long. He’s probably brain dead. And he wouldn’t want to be kept alive with machines. How am I supposed to pull the plug on the person I-on my best friend,” she corrected.

Skye sighed. Why were these two like this?

“Jemma, you’re in love with Fitz. It’s okay to admit it.”

She averted her eyes and Skye shook her head.

“Listen, don’t be stupid like me. I should have told Ward how I felt months ago, back when…” Skye chewed on her lower lip, not sure it would have mattered. That it would have changed anything. “If you love him, tell him. Even if he can’t hear you. Tell him. If he does die you don’t want to have never told him.”

“Fitz told me he loved me, before he…” Jemma stared up at Skye, fresh tears in her eyes. “And I was so shocked I couldn’t even…I should have told him. I should have done something to stop him. I should have told him!” She cried, and Skye pulled her back into her arms and rubbed her back gently.

“He’s going to pull through this, Jemma. He has to.”

Skye wasn’t sure he’d survive the week, but they had to have hope or else what was the point?


	5. (Skye) Fight Just a Little

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are much appreciated.

**_May 2014_ **

“Is this what you and your mom used to do together? Cook?” Skye was grateful that May was teaching her how to do something besides boil water. She’d never gotten the chance to learn to cook. She’d never been in a home long enough, and the nuns had always put her on cleaning duty. Skye could barely fry an egg, but in the past month she’d learned enough that she felt like a real adult.

May smirked and gave the noodles a toss.

“No, my mother and I used to train together. She taught me to shoot a firearm, throw a punch, and how to make hearty meal for survival.”

“Aww, just like us,” Skye teased with a smile.

After her breakdown on the bus May had taken over Skye’s training.

And she was grateful.

Not just because she trained her twice as hard than Ward had, meaning she’d be better prepared in the field, but because it kept her busy.

And it was nice, getting closer to May. It wasn’t the same as having a mom, but it was pretty damn close, and it was all Skye had ever wanted.

“Your knife cuts are getting better, but remember, even pieces,” she instructed, pointing to Skye’s cabbage.

“Lo mein again?” Hunter complained as he entered the kitchen.

May shot him a glare, gripping her knife so hard her knuckles were white.

He had a way of getting under your skin.

“Unless you want to go make a supply run and help with the cooking, I suggest you shut the fuck up, Hunter,” Skye ordered, sounding very May-ish as she did so.

May looked impressed and smiled as she tossed chicken into the pan.

“Maria will be here with a truck tomorrow,” she offered, pointing her knife towards the fridge. “And _you_ can help by getting the greens out and making a salad.”

Hunter made a pterodactyl sounding whine, but he knew better than to argue.

Skye ignored him and glanced over at May with a small frown.

“Any news on Fitz?” She whispered. The last time she’d seen him he was still hooked up to breathing machines. His body couldn’t breathe on its own, but he had brain activity, which was a good sign. Until he could breathe on his own, he was stuck at the Avenger’s Headquarters. Skye knew he was better off with them, but she wanted him home. At least If he was here, she could visit him instead of having to beg for updates.

May shook her head sadly.

“I don’t think there’s anything left for them to do except-”

“Wait for him to die?” Skye whispered, knowing it was the truth none of them wanted to speak.

May sighed and leaned over to kiss her forehead.

“Don’t worry about that now. Let’s get dinner finished so we can try to get Jemma to eat something.”

Not that she would. She’d stopped sleeping, eating, and had to be forced to shower. Poor Jemma was completely falling apart and close to a breakdown.

Everything was a mess.


	6. (Skye) The Air I Would Kill to Breathe

**_June 2014_ **

“So, we’re just going to leave him like this?” Skye hissed angrily as she glared at the boss. She tried to ignore the sounds of Jemma’s wailing, but it was impossible.

“There’s nothing else they can do for him. We just have to wait for him to get stronger. We have doctors here, and the specialist will be by twice a week and-” Coulson shrugged. “I thought having him here would be better. He’ll be around people he knows and maybe hearing us…I don’t know, maybe he’ll wake up. It’s better than him being alone with strangers.”

Skye knew he meant well but none of this was good enough for her. She wanted Fitz back and healthy and to hear him complain again. It was bad enough she’d lost Ward; she didn’t need to lose Fitz too.

She glanced through the window to find Hunter and Bobbi trying to calm Jemma down. Skye wanted to help but she knew it was best to let her family handle this.

It must be nice, to not only have a family but to have them around during a time like this.

Skye had thought she had a family, for the few minutes she’d thought she and Ward had a future.

How stupid she’d been.

“Where are you going?” Coulson called as Skye headed down the hallway.

She ignored him, needing a safe place to break down. She’d been doing that a lot more lately. And the only person she let see her cry was May, but only because she always knew where to find her.

Today she went straight for her van, needing the comfort of something familiar that felt like home.

It only took May three minutes to find her curled up sobbing.

“Scoot over,” May ordered, closing the door before taking a seat next to Skye. She wrapped one arm around her and pulled her closer, letting her cry.

“He’s going to die, isn’t he?” Skye sobbed.

May said nothing for a moment.

“Probably,” she finally admitted. “But if we don’t keep hoping for him, then he will for sure. He needs us to stay strong for him.”

Skye didn’t have any strength left. She was tired and worn out and done keeping it together.

“But he’s not here, so it’s okay to cry.”

That just made Skye cry harder.

No one had ever taken care of Skye before. Sure, the team had been there when she’d been shot, but this was different. Not only had May taken on the role of her S.O., but she’d been here through everything: helping her get through the Ward stuff, helping her grieve for Fitz, and caring for her the way a mother would.

“I love you, May,” Skye cried, feeling stupid as she said it. Every time she’d told someone she loved them, they’d abandoned her. She was cursed.

But instead, May surprised her by wrapping both arms around Skye, pulling her closer, and kissing the top of her head.

“I love you too.”

Skye hiccupped through a sob, burying her face in May’s neck. Maybe this time she wouldn’t lose her family.


	7. (Skye) You’re Not What I Asked For

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will be posting updates on Sundays from now on.

**_June 2014_ **

Skye trudged through the doors to the common room, her stomach still queasy. She hated the idea of taking drugs, but she needed to do something about this stress. It was bad enough she couldn’t sleep, but this not being able to keep food down bullshit really needed to stop. She’d even missed her period because she’d lost about ten pounds. If Skye lost more weight she’d disappear.

“Hey, come here,” Trip offered, pulling her into his lap. There wasn’t any other room on the sofa and Skye didn’t mind. Trip was firm and comfortable, and for someone with such a warm heart his hands were always cold, which felt good against her feverish skin.

Skye rested her head on his shoulder and let him rub her back.

“You feeling okay?”

She shook her head and closed her eyes, needing a nap.

“Want some ginger ale, tremors?” Mack offered.

She’d hated that nickname at first, given to her because for the first few weeks she’d known him she’d literally walked around trembling with rage and grief. But now she was used to it.

“Gross,” Skye muttered, making a face.

“I’ll get you some 7-up,” May said, without bothering to wait for a response.

Skye knew better than to argue. Mom knew best, after all.

“Thanks,” Skye whispered, sitting up to take a sip. It was cold, which helped. And the taste wasn’t strong enough to make her feel sicker. This and graham crackers were the only things she could keep down these days.

“I’m taking you with me tomorrow,” May insisted, running a hand over Skye’s forehead. “This is more than stress. You need one of Tony’s doctors to examine you.”

Hunter snorted, and May shot him a death glare.

“Have something to say, Hunter?”

He shifted uncomfortably, looking to Bobbi for help but she didn’t look happy with him either.

“I just…

Come on, isn’t it obvious what’s wrong with her?”

May crossed her arms and stared him down.

“No, please enlighten us.”

“She’s pregnant with the serial killer’s demon spawn.”

“Oh please, like Skye would let him knock her up,” Trip muttered.

Skye blinked in surprise, her mind reeling.

There was no…

She…

She shook her head with a scowl.

“You’re an idiot,” Skye spat, pissed off.

May continued to glare at Hunter for a long moment before glancing towards Skye, her expression softening, as if she was asking Skye with her eyes if she was indeed pregnant.

Skye shook her head again. There was no way in hell she was pregnant. That would be far too cruel. But with her luck…

“Then is it Trip’s?” Hunter asked, earning him a smack to the back of the head from his fiancée.

“The world couldn’t handle a baby that cute,” Trip teased, kissing the top of Skye’s head and making her smile.

“Oh please, Hunter. No one has time for sex, except you,” Jemma ‘tsked’, not even glancing up from the beanie she was knitting. She’d taken to making Fitz everything from hats to sweaters to blankets to keep herself busy.

“One has to make time,” he smirked, glancing towards Bobbi.

Bobbi glared back at him, shaking her head.

It seemed _someone_ wasn’t going to be making time for sex tonight.

Skye stood, with help from Trip, and grabbed her soda before heading towards the kitchen.

“You’re an idiot, Hunter,” she called, flipping him the bird as she went.

She could feel May on her heels, but she said nothing while she finished her drink and rinsed it off in the sink.

“Are you pregnant?” May finally asked.

Skye gripped the counter, trying to remember the last time she’d had her period.

“No,” Skye insisted, glancing back at her mentor. “I’m still not sleeping,” she admitted. “Every time I close my eyes, I see Eric’s body or Victoria’s and I just…

How did I not see what he was, May?”

May took Skye by the arms and met her eyes.

“None of us saw it, Skye. It’s just harder for you because you loved him.”

“Yeah, stupid me,” Skye sighed.

“Are there still sleeping pills in the medical supplies? I just need to sleep,” she whispered weakly.

“Yeah, I’ll get you some,” May offered.

“No, I’ll do it,” Skye insisted. “Just keep an eye on Jemma. She sleeps less than I do. She’s going to pass out one of these days.”

Skye could see the pain in May’s eyes. All of her kids were falling apart.

“Maybe you can talk her into taking a few pills too?”

They both knew she wouldn’t, but it was something to do.

Skye hugged May, letting it linger while she wondered what in the hell she was going to do if she was in fact carrying a Hydra spawn.

“I’ll check on you in a bit,” May said, letting Skye go.

Skye gave her a smile before ducking out of the room. Once she was sure she wasn’t being followed she ran for the infirmary, her heart racing.

Until Hunter had opened his big mouth it hadn’t even crossed her mind that she might be pregnant, but now it was the only thing that made sense.

Skye desperately tore through the supply closet, shoving aside tampon boxes and bandages, her hands shaking.

“Come on,” she muttered, knowing they had to have one somewhere. Jemma was the most prepared person she knew. Surely there had to be at least- “Aha!” Skye cried, grabbing a pregnancy test.

She debated taking a second, just to be sure, but it was going to be hard enough smuggling one through the base.

Making sure no one was around, Skye slipped into the bathroom and emerged a few minutes later with the stick shoved into the back of her jeans. Everyone was still in the common room, but Skye still managed to sneak by them and out into the garage, so she could hide in the back of one of the SUVs while discovering her fate.

Skye leaned her head back against the cool leather seat, her fingers trembling while she waited for the timer on her phone to go off. With all of the shit she’d endured and survived in her life, it was amazing that something so small left her feeling more terrified than she’d ever been in her entire life.

How had she let this happen?

She’d made him get the condoms and then…

Skye furrowed her brows.

She couldn’t remember using them.

She would bet good money if she walked into her bunk right now, she’d find the box unopened.

“Fucking idiot, Skye,” she muttered as her timer went off.

Hands shaking, she turned it off and stared up at the ceiling. She tapped the test against her knee, unable to make herself look. Not that it mattered what it said, Skye knew, deep down, she was carrying Grant Ward’s child.

“I am so sorry, little one,” she whispered, placing her palm over her pelvis. “You deserve better parents.”

And when Skye stared down at the two lines her stomach still fell.

How in the hell was she going to do this on her own?

When Mack found her twenty minutes later, she was on the floor of the garage, in a pool of vomit, face wet, as sobs wrecked through her tiny frame and she fought back wails.

“Shh, come here,” he whispered, pulling her into his arms.

“I’m sorry,” she cried, motioning to the mess.

“Don’t worry about that,” he insisted, helping her to her feet and leading her to his workbench. He sat her down and disappeared, returning with a wet towel which he placed on the back of her neck. “Deep breaths.”

Skye did as she was told but it wasn’t helping. She was going to be someone’s mom. They were both screwed.

“Is it Ward’s?” He asked after a few minutes.

Skye glanced up at him, not even bothering to ask how he knew. It was obvious at this point.

She nodded and wiped at her eyes.

“I bet you think I’m an idiot.”

“No, I don’t. 

Are you…

Do you need anything?”

Skye shook her head. She needed May, but she didn’t know how to tell her she’d been stupid enough to not only have sex with a traitor, but to not use a condom.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

Skye shook her head harder.

“Okay, but you should talk to someone. May? Or Coulson?”

“No,” Skye whispered. “I’m not…I need time…to figure out…” She sighed. “I just need time.”

“I know it’s none of my business, but promise me you’ll talk to someone before you make any big decisions. Don’t do anything because you’re mad at Ward.”

Skye stared up at him in confusion before the meaning of his words dawned on her.

“No, I’m not going to…I would never…” She wrapped an arm around her middle protectively. “I just need to figure out what I’m going to do about her dad.”

It’s not like she could tell him. But it was going to be hard, being under the same roof as him and carrying his child. Mack was right, she didn’t need to do anything stupid because of Ward. Like forgive him because she was hormonal and lonely.

“If you need to talk, I’m here.”

Skye gave him a smile.

“Thanks, Mack. And I’m sorry about your garage.”

He shrugged.

“It’s fine, just try to make it to the toilet next time.”

Skye laughed for the first time that day.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“You’re not seriously going, are you?” Mack hissed as he followed her down the corridor.

“Yes, I am,” Skye muttered under her breath. She’d been reluctant to take the assignment but what was she supposed to do? Say ‘sorry guys, can’t do it because I’m carrying Ward’s lovechild?’ Somehow, she didn’t think that would go over well with anyone, especially Coulson.

“I know I don’t need to remind you why this is a bad idea.”

Skye stopped in her tracks and turned to look up at him.

“Mack, I appreciate this overprotective big brother act, but I’m going to be fine. Women have been having babies and living their lives literally since the beginning of time.”

“What if you get hurt? Anything that happens to you out there could make you lose that baby.”

Skye went cold. Sure, the thought had crossed her mind, but May would be there and nothing bad was going to happen with May around.

“We’ll be fine, Mack.” Skye insisted, giving his hand a squeeze before heading back towards the garage.

“Skye, if you don’t tell them, I will!” He called anxiously.

“Don’t you dare,” she hissed, turning back to face him.

“Someone has to stop you from being stupid.”

Why were men so infuriating?

“Look, just…” Skye sighed. “When we get back, I’ll tell May, okay? I promise.”

“You’d better, Skye, or I swear to-”

“Yeah, I got it.”

Mack worried too much.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Okay, maybe Skye didn’t worry enough.

It was her fault. She hadn’t been able to get Mack’s warning out of her head. Maybe the stress could hurt the baby. Maybe she’d get hurt and miscarry.

Maybe. Maybe. Maybe.

With all the maybes running through her head when it came time for her step in to help Idaho she froze and hesitated, only for a moment, but long enough for him to take a bullet to the stomach. And then, in the ensuing chaos she pulled her hand back to find it covered in her own blood from a bullet to the shoulder.

“Sit still,” Jemma ordered, tears in her eyes as her shaking hands cleaned Skye’s wound.

It had been nothing, a graze from a bullet, but it had been a wake-up call.

Mack was right, she couldn’t be in the field. Or train. She needed to take a step back. She could keep working, but it would have to be from a desk. She couldn’t take the risk. She’d lost enough for one lifetime. She couldn’t lose the only real family she had left.

“Jem, I need to tell you something,” Skye whispered, knowing she should have told Jemma right away.

“What in the hell were you thinking!” Izzy screamed as she burst into the room, her face red, with May on her heels.

“Step back,” May warned, getting in Izzy’s face before she could launch herself at Skye.

“Stop coddling the girl, Melinda!” Izzy screamed. “She’s not your replacement kid!”

“And Idaho isn’t yours!” May said calmly but in a tone that warned her not to take a step near Skye.

“He’s in there fighting for his life because your girl fucked up!”

“Both of you get out of here!” Jemma snapped, stepping between them. “You’re not helping anyone by screaming at each other.” Skye knew she was referring to Fitz, who lay in the next room, still connected to machines.

“Go help them work on my boy instead of wasting time on a flesh wound.” Izzy spat before shoving them both out of the way and making her way towards Skye.

She could yell all she wanted; Skye wasn’t afraid of her. Yeah, she’d fucked up, but for good reason. If she’d stepped in to save Idaho, she would have taken a bullet to the gut like he had, in the same place she’d already been shot, only this time she had something to lose.

“You were supposed to have his back. What in the hell happened?”

“Shit happens,” Skye said, not about to tell her why she’d frozen.

“I’m going to kill you,” Izzy hissed before May grabbed her by the arm and pulled her away with force.

“You lay a hand on my girl, Isabelle, and I will put you in the bed next to Idaho’s.”

Skye rubbed her temples, trying to tamper down the stress, sure it was bad for the baby.

“Get them out of here,” Skye muttered as she felt her blood pressure rise.

“This is a place for healing, not fighting!” Jemma insisted, glancing towards Skye.

“Vic was right about her; she doesn’t have what it takes to be an agent.”

“She’s a better agent than half the agents in this building.”

“Really? Is that why she fucks sleeper agents and keeps getting shot and getting everyone around her killed?”

“Like you’ve never fucked up, Izzy?”

“Stop it! You’re stressing her out!” Jemma yelled, staring at the heart monitor she’d attached to Skye ‘as a precaution’.

“Good! She deserves to be stressed out!”

May shot her a glare before coming to Skye’s side and taking her hand.

“What’s wrong, Skye?”

She hadn’t even realized she’d started crying until May reached out to wipe tears off her face.

“I’m sorry about Idaho, but I need you both to leave,” she whispered, feeling a cramp in her middle.

“Get out,” Jemma ordered, her tiny body trembling with anger.

“Not until she explains to me what the hell happened out there.”

“She’s pregnant!” Jemma snapped, her face red. “She froze because she’s pregnant, and if you two don’t stop fighting and stressing her out _I_ will be the one killing someone!”

May stared down at Skye in shock. Skye was sure she wasn’t surprised she was pregnant, but because Skye had been stupid enough to still go into the field. Before she could speak Jemma was literally shoving them both out of her infirmary.

“You stay away until you can behave!” She yelled before storming over to Skye, her hands shaking.

“I’m so sorry,” she cried, seeing the look on Skye’s face. “Mack told me when they brought you in. Are you okay? Your heart is racing.”

Skye shook her head, tears in her eyes.

“I think something’s wrong.”

“Breathe,” Jemma instructed, taking her hand. “I’m sure the baby’s fine, but just in case, I’m going to examine you. Okay?”

Skye nodded and leaned back, feeling like the worst mother in the world. The kid wasn’t even out yet and she was already failing her left and right.

How in the hell was she going to do this?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After Jemma determined there was nothing wrong with Skye, or the baby, and finished stitching her up, Skye cried herself to sleep.

Her baby already had no father, a mother who was too stubborn to listen to reason, and no real home. Skye always thought when she did this, she’d be better at it then her own parents had been, but here she was, already a disappointment, just like she’d been her entire life.

Skye woke to May stroking her hair. She knew it was May, because she’d learned what her touch felt like, and because her sense of smell was sensitive as hell these days and she could smell May’s lavender body wash.

She kept her eyes closed, enjoying the feeling of having her hair played with-and so she could eavesdrop.

“Why did you and Vic never have kids? You two were together long enough.”

Skye peeked one eye open to find them both sitting in chairs near her bed. Izzy rolled her eyes and took a sip of her beer.

“I guess since you and Phil kept breaking up, that makes us the longest reigning couple in our friend group.”

Wait, May and _Coulson_?

Sure, it wasn’t that surprising, but _still_.

“Made,” Izzy corrected sadly.

Skye closed her eye, not sure she could look at Izzy right now. After all, it had been her baby daddy that had murdered the love of her life.

“We tried, a few times, but I couldn’t get pregnant and it was so expensive to keep trying.”

“You should have made Vic carry it.”

Izzy snorted.

“Vic take nine months off work? That was never going to happen. I still can’t believe you did it.”

Wait, what was she saying?

Skye recalled her ‘replacement kid’ comment and the comment May made weeks ago about how Skye reminded her of ‘a life she could have had’.

A small part of Skye had secretly hoped May was her mother back when she joined the team. She’d concocted a million different scenarios that had been crushed when Coulson told her the truth about how she’d come to be a ward of SHIELD.

But was May actually someone else’s mother? Did she have a kid out there somewhere? An adult wondering where her mother had disappeared to? A kid she’d given up? A kid she’d lost?

“I’m sorry I brought her up earlier. You’re right. We never had kids, so I look at those three idiots as my own.” Skye knew she was referring to Idaho, Mack, and Hunter. Izzy had trained both Mack and Idaho while Vic had recruited Hunter from the SAS and put him on Izzy’s team. Bobbi had also been on her team but, along with Nat, she’d been trained by May, just like Skye. Their bus team wasn’t the only one that was like a family.

May sighed.

“It’s fine. And you’re wrong. Skye isn’t my replacement daughter. No one can replace her.”

Skye’s chest began to ache. So, May did have her own kid. And she was…dead?

“But you love the girl like she’s yours.”

To that May stayed silent and Skye wondered if it was true.

May was the closest thing Skye had ever come to having a real mother and if the feeling was mutual…

Skye felt tears fall from her eyes and May wipe them away.

“Shh, it’s just a dream,” May whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

“Poor kid,” Izzy muttered.

“She’ll be fine. I’ll make sure of it.”

“No, I mean the baby. Imagine having Ward for a father.”

And there was the other thing. Her kid was going to spend the rest of her life being judged because her dad was Grant-fucking-Ward.


	8. (Skye) All I Want, All I Need

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here’s an extra update this week, as a treat.

**_June 2014_ **

“You want me to go?”

“No,” Skye muttered miserably, her eyes still filled with tears.

She’d woken up in the middle of the night, swearing she’d heard Ward’s voice calling her name. When it hit her that she was never going to see him again, and she was a pathetic girl having delusions about him, she’d burst into tears, waking May up.

“Okay,” May whispered, kissing Skye’s temple. “I’ll stay here as long as you need me.”

“Thank you,” Skye whispered, grateful May was still holding her tightly. She needed the feeling of security right now.

“May, can I ask you something?” Skye asked after a few minutes.

“Go for it.”

“Back at the Providence base, when we took our lie detector tests…You said you were married?”

“Yes?”

Skye’s cheeks went red, embarrassed.

“I just…Was it to Coulson?”

Skye couldn’t help but be curious and May hardly ever talked about herself and well, she was the only other person she knew who had been through this pregnancy thing and she needed her wisdom.

May said nothing for a long time and Skye felt like an idiot.

“You don’t have to tell me. I’m sorry I asked.”

“Yes,” she said finally.

“Oh,” Skye blinked. That explained a lot. Except why Coulson had been willing to embrace Skye and May had pushed her away.

“When you told me the reason you didn’t want me on the team was because I reminded you of someone, what did you mean?”

She _had_ promised to tell her about it someday. And today was someday.

May let out a long sigh and Skye was afraid she’d crossed a line and their relationship would be ruined. It always seemed like her bond with May was too good to be true.

“Coulson and I had a daughter, a long time ago,” she whispered. “And she died.”

Like usual, May didn’t say much, but it was enough to break Skye’s heart.

“When I met you, you looked like you could be ours. And that mouth…” May smiled to herself. “You were exactly what I imagined our daughter would have grown up to be like. And I was so angry at Phil for taking to you the way he did. Neither one of us ever got over losing her, but he was able to move on faster. It’s easier for men. They’re not the ones carrying this person inside of them. They don’t give birth to them. They don’t really become parents until they hold that baby in their arms. I was a mother long before he was a father.

But you grew on me,” May admitted. “And I hated it because I was afraid loving you would be like I was replacing her, and I’ll never be ready to let her go. Not really.”

“I’m sorry, May,” Skye whispered, close to tears.

“Don’t be.

After you were shot…” May had tears in her eyes but she ignored them and gave Skye a small smile. “It was like losing her all over again and I realized I had room in my heart for both of you.

Phil told me once it was like you were sent to us, like you were meant to be ours. You lost your parents and we lost our daughter and we all needed each other.

And I hate it when he’s right, so don’t you tell him I agree with him.”

Skye found herself grinning. Those were the most words Skye had ever heard her speak.

“Don’t worry, I won’t say a word.”

Maybe she finally had a family after all.


	9. (Skye) My Secrets Become Your Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy this extra long chapter.

**_June 2014_ **

“Jemma, I just want to leave,” Skye whined as Jemma continued running the cold ultrasound wand over Skye’s pelvis.

Sure, she’d gotten a few hours of sleep over the past day of being here, but she was ready to go back to their room and sleep in her own bed. She hated the smells of this place, and the lighting was gross and depressing, and Jemma fussed over her too much.

“And I told you, as soon as I finish examining you, you can go.”

“Then hurry up and do it!” Even though Jemma was handling her with kid’s gloves she was still sore, and that stupid thing was making it worse.

Jemma rolled her eyes.

“You’re as bad as Fitz.”

Now it was Skye’s turn to roll her eyes.

“Both of you stop acting like children,” May interrupted. “Just hurry up and show me my grandchild,” she teased, giving Skye a wink. Skye had jokingly referred to her as ‘Grandma May’ and now May would never let her live it down. “And then I’m feeding _both_ of you.”

Jemma blushed and nearly dropped the wand as she pulled it away, her hands shaking.

“You can cover back up,” Jemma instructed, reaching for her clipboard. She stared down at her paperwork, tapping her foot nervously while chewing on her pen.

Skye met May’s eyes curiously.

Sure, Jemma hasn’t been sleeping much but she was behaving odder than usual. May gave her a shrug and Skye frowned. 

“Jem, does my baby have two heads or something?”

“Huh? Oh, no. Wait, what?” She blinked up at Skye in confusion.

“What’s wrong with you? You’re over there fidgeting like something’s wrong and you’re afraid to tell me.”

Jemma’s ears went red and she glanced back down at her paperwork, then to Skye and then to May and then back to her paperwork.

“I um…Well, there is _something_ …”

Skye’s panic mode flipped on.

“What’s wrong with my baby?”

“Oh, nothing!” Jemma insisted, shaking her head. “This has nothing to do with it. Your baby is fine. Developing nicely. She is making you a bit sicker than I’d like, so I’ll give you something to help you keep food down, and you need to sleep more but otherwise you’re both fine.”

“So, what’s wrong?” May interrupted, crossing her arms. She was already in grandma mode and Skye had to keep herself from laughing at the image of Melinda May as a grandmother.

“Nothing, actually,” Jemma admitted as she took a seat on her rolling chair and motioned for May to join Skye on the bed, which she didn’t do. Instead, she continued to glare at Jemma. “I have good news, actually.”

“Is it about Fitz?” May asked gently, her face softening as she took a seat next to Skye and reached out to take Jemma’s hand. “Has something changed?”

Jemma frowned.

“No, he’s still…” She glanced over Skye’s shoulder towards his room and sighed. “He’s the same.”

“Jemma, I don’t mean to come off as a bitch, but you’re being really cryptic and it’s freaking me out,” Skye said. “If it’s good news just spit it out.”

“It is but you might have a hard time accepting it. Even I don’t understand how it’s possible, but I had a hunch and I was right.”

“Please don’t tell me she’s having twins,” May interrupted.

Skye felt sick at the thought. One baby she could handle. She already loved this kid. And sure, she’d love a second kid, but there was no way in hell she could deal with two of them at once.

“No, just the one little angel.”

“Then what is it, Jemma?”

Was this it? Was she finally having her breakdown?

“I’m just not sure how to tell you this,” she whispered, staring down at her clipboard. “I know I had no right to do this, but my curiosity got the better of me, and it’s really amazing news.”

“Then spit it out,” Skye snapped, her hormones getting the better of her for a moment. “I’m sorry,” she said immediately, taking deep breaths to calm her nerves.

“I found your mother,” Jemma said quickly, her cheeks turning red.

Skye blinked back at her in shock.

“My mother’s dead.” That’s what Coulson had told her at least. But maybe Jemma had found out who she was?

Jemma shook her head.

“No, she’s not. She’s sitting right next to you.”

A few weeks ago, Skye might have laughed, but not today.

“That isn’t funny, Jemma.”

“It’s not meant to be,” she whispered, holding the clipboard out for one of them to take.

After a long moment of awkward silence an angry May ripped it from Jemma’s hands and stared down at the lab report in confusion.

“My baby died,” she whispered after a moment, as if trying to convince herself.

“I dug up your medical file, Agent May,” Jemma whispered. “You were forced to see a therapist because you refused to believe she was dead and kept looking for her, for fifteen years. I know you. You wouldn’t have done that without a reason.”

May said nothing and continued to stare down at the report.

“Is this real?” Skye muttered, feeling dizzy.

There was no way, right?

This was too…

How?

“You’re wrong,” May said finally, snapping out of her stupor.

Skye’s chest began to ache. Did May not want her?

“Do you know how long I looked for her? Do you know how hard it was to accept she was really gone? This,” May threw the clipboard down angrily as she stood, “is a mistake.”

“It’s not a mistake!” Jemma insisted. “I ran it myself, _three_ times.”

“No! I refuse to accept that my little girl…” May’s voice broke and for the first time they both saw her control break. “Grew up without me in the system and…” Her hands began to shake. “And I stopped looking for her,” she whispered, tears spilling from her eyes.

She turned towards Skye slowly and she could see how red her eyes were as she studied Skye’s face in a daze.

Skye gripped the edge of the bed. She was both confused and hopeful. On the one hand, how was this possible? On the other, it was what she wanted.

“Why did you do this?” Skye asked, wondering how Jemma had figured it out.

“I overheard Agents May and Hartley talking about her daughter, so I looked up her file. I thought it might help you, to talk to someone who’s been through this, but before I brought it up, I wanted to know what happened because I didn’t want to drudge up the past and hurt Agent May if it was something horrible. And then I realized you and her daughter would be the same age and I mean, even when Hunter met you he assumed you were May’s because the two of you look so much alike. And I thought, it was too much of a coincidence.

I tried to let it go because I felt silly, but my gut kept telling me to just run your DNA and I couldn’t sleep last night because of Fitz and I had nothing else to do so…” She trailed off, her ears turning red. “I swabbed your cheek while you were asleep and lied to Agent May about needing to take her blood for a physical,” Jemma admitted with a frown.

“And I didn’t believe it either, so I redid the lab work, _twice_.

I don’t know what happened twenty-five years ago, but DNA doesn’t lie. You’re her mother and she’s your daughter.”

Skye’s heart began to race. Could it really be true? The two people she’d come to love like her parents were actually her parents?

And then the sadness kicked in because if they were her parents why had she spent her life in the orphanage, alone, instead of being raised by the people who loved her?

“Twenty-six,” May whispered, still staring at Skye’s face. “Your birthday is July second and you were born in eighty-eight. You’ll be twenty-six next month.”

Skye blinked in surprise. She was a whole year older than she believed.

Well, _fuck_.

“And you look exactly like your aunt, I can’t believe I never realized…” She shook her head, looking ready to pass out. She moved to her knees and reached up to touch Skye’s cheek with a smile, tears in her eyes. “It’s really you.”

“I have an aunt?” Skye whispered, now fully in shock.

May-No, her _mom_ smiled.

“You do. And she’s exactly like you but with less of a filter.”

Skye smiled, close to tears. She wasn’t sure she believed any of this, it was too good to be true, but she wanted to.

“I don’t…” This was too much. What if Jemma was wrong?

“Here, I also found Marg- _your_ chart in May’s files,” Jemma said, holding out a folder. “Not only do you and May have the same blood type, but you and her daughter have the same blood type, same eye color, hair color, um…” Jemma frowned, trying to think of what else she could say to convince Skye. “I can compare your footprints to the one on your birth certificate and I don’t know, Agent May, did she have a birthmark? Any distinguishing features not in her medical chart?”

May closed her eyes for a long moment, as if lost in her memories, before nodding.

“She had a small, light, heart-shaped mark on her-”

“Left asscheek,” Skye finished, her entire body going cold as it hit her that was really happening.

Meeting her eyes, May stood, blinking in surprise.

“How did you-”

Skye shifted onto her right side and lifted her gown to reveal she still had her birthmark, though it had faded over the years.

“Miles used to tease me and say my heart was in my ass because of this thing.”

All Skye wanted was for her mom to hug her right now, but instead she reached into her pocket and pulled out her cellphone before wiping at her nose. “I need to call your grandmother,” she whispered, hands shaking.

“I have a grandmother?” For the first time it dawned on Skye that she had an actual family out there.

May nodded with a smile.

“Your other grandparents died a long time ago, but you still have two grandparents, and an aunt.”

“I have a family?” Skye couldn’t fight the tears back anymore.

“They’re going to be so…” May wiped at her eyes and glanced back at a now crying Jemma. “You’re a hundred percent sure? Phillip won’t…We have to be able to prove this.”

Jemma nodded with a sniffle.

“I’ll have Bobbi run it again,” she whispered. There were plenty of other doctors here but Skye wouldn’t let anyone but Jemma know about her baby just yet. She didn’t need everyone’s hate faces right now. “She doesn’t spend much time in the lab anymore, but she can get it done and be discreet.”

“Do it,” Skye ordered, her voice breaking.

“I’ll be right back,” Jemma said, leaving them alone.

Skye stared down at her hands, trying to figure this all out.

She had parents. Parents who were alive. Parents who already loved her. Parents who…

Skye smiled.

If May was her mom that meant Coulson was her dad. And that meant her baby was going to grow up with grandparents and a real family. A family that would love her.

Skye wasn’t failing her after all.

“What is going on in here?” Bobbi asked, entering the room behind Jemma.

“I need you to take cheek swabs from Agent May and Skye and then run a maternity test.”

Bobbi blinked in surprise as Jemma shoved the swabs into her hands.

“Okay then,” she said, too stunned to ask questions.

“This will take me a few hours,” Bobbi warned.

“That’s fine, I need to make a phone call and Jemma needs to give my girl the all-clear to be released,” May said, her face lighting up as she said ‘my girl’.

“Are you going to be okay alone for a bit, Skye?”

Skye nodded, needing the time alone to digest all of this.

May smiled and kissed the top of her head before dialing a number on her phone.

“Mom? It’s me.” Skye heard her say as she left the room.

“Skye? Are you okay?” Jemma whispered, placing a hand on hers.

“I need to take a walk.”

“Okay, well, let me take your vitals and as long as they’re normal you can go.”

Skye nodded numbly, letting Jemma run her tests. Once she was done, Skye pulled on her regular clothes, still stunned.

“Skye, want some company?” Bobbi offered, placing a hand on her lower back.

“I just need to be alone.”

When neither tried to stop her, Skye walked out of the infirmary and slowly made her way down the hall, her mind racing.

What did this mean? Who was she now? What was her real name? How was this going to change everything? Why had May called her mom first instead of running to tell Coulson?

And then her stomach fell.

Was he really her dad?

After aimlessly wandering around the base for what felt like hours, Skye found herself outside his office without meaning to go there. Not bothering to knock, she barged in, the shock wearing off as the full force of her emotions came bearing down on her.

“Is it true?” Skye asked, her voice shaking as she stood in the doorway, staring at her _dad_ in confusion.

Turning from the monitor where he’d been in the middle of a meeting, Coulson stared back at her in surprise.

“Is wha-Skye, what’s wrong?”

“Is it true?” Skye said louder, her entire body vibrating with emotion.

“Is what true?”

Tears spilled from her eyes again as she stared at Coulson, the man who had loved her more than anyone else had every loved her in her life, even though he had no reason to, close to a breakdown.

“Are you really my dad?” She wept, her voice breaking as she felt sobs consume her.

“This just got good,” Tony commented.

Coulson threw him a glare before rushing to Skye’s side, helping her off the floor.

“Skye, what are you talking about?” He whispered, leading her towards the couch.

Her entire body shook as she struggled to breathe.

“If.” She sobbed. “May.” Another sob. “Is.” Sob. “My.” Sob. “Mom.” Yet another sob. “Does that mean you’re my dad?” She said quickly, hiccupping through her tears.

He stared back at her, too stunned to speak, as Nick began cursing under his breath.

“Skye, I don’t-”

“It’s true,” May called. They glanced up to find her in the doorway, clutching a photo album to her chest. “It’s her. She’s-

Phil, Skye’s our Margaret.”

“That’s ridiculous,” he insisted, not missing a beat. “Margaret’s dead, Melinda. I thought you were done with this delusion that she’s still alive.”

She walked into the room and made a beeline right for Skye, placing a gentle hand on her back as she moved to her knees and looked Coulson in the eyes.

“It’s not a delusion, Phil,” she whispered. “It’s really her. There’s proof,” she insisted.

“It’s true, sir,” Jemma interrupted.

She and Bobbi closed the door behind them and tossed down the four lab reports in his lap.

“DNA doesn’t lie, Coulson,” Bobbi said, crossing her arms.

Skye wiped away tears as she watched him try to process this information.

“It’s impossible,” he said finally, shaking his head.

“Phil, look,” her mom insisted, opening the photo album. “They have the same chin, nose, eyes-

Skye even has her birthmark!

Phil, it’s her!”

Skye stared down at the pictures, fat tears welling up in her eyes. She’d never seen a picture of herself as a newborn. And these weren’t just pictures of her, they were pictures of the three of them, of her with people Skye had never seen before who she assumed were her grandparents, and even one of her with what appeared to be a young Nick with who she knew to be Peggy Carter. She was seeing all of these memories for the first time, and even more important was the fact that her mom had held onto them.

She’d never stopped holding onto her. She had a mother who still loved her and missed her after all these years. A mother who hadn’t forgotten her.

Skye buried her face in her hands and began crying again.

“Shh, baby girl,” her mom whispered, wrapping her arms around her. “Everything is going to be fine now. I’ve got you, sweetheart.”

“Mommy,” Skye sobbed, burying her face against her neck. “You didn’t forget me?”

“Of course not,” she insisted, squeezing her tightly. “You were the best thing that ever happened to me.”

While her mother comforted her, her dad slowly stood and walked over to his desk, collapsing into his chair. After a moment of silence, he reached into his desk and pulled out a framed photograph and stared at it for the longest minute of Skye’s life before making his way back over to them.

He held up the frame to Skye’s face and looked between it and her a few times before falling onto the couch and running a hand over his face.

“Did you know?” He asked, glancing back to the monitors.

Skye realized that Nick, Maria, and Tony were still on the screens and she began to blush, embarrassed.

“Of course not, Phil. You think I would have let my goddaughter stay in the damn foster system?”

His _goddaughter_?

“But SHIELD kept her safe, even after you took over.”

“Yeah, because it was what Peggy wanted. To keep the girl safe. She thought about giving her to you, but then agents kept dying around her, so we sent her to the orphanage. She was too much trouble to burden you with after… _shit_ ,” he muttered. “Phil, Melinda, I really didn’t know. And neither did Peggy.”

“Of course she didn’t,” her mom said defensively. “She loved her; she would have never kept her away from us.”

“Wait, Phil bagged _her_ ,” Tony whistled in surprise. “She’s way out of his league.”

“You two have a kid?” Maria asked, offended. “And no one ever told me?”

“Shut up,” Melinda ordered, returning her attention to Skye.

“How are you feeling? This is a lot to take, maybe you should stay in the infirmary another night,” she whispered.

“We’re fine,” Skye insisted, placing a hand over her pelvis protectively as she stared down at the picture in her dad’s hands. In it he was holding her proudly; and he’d kept it all these years, in his desk, where he could look at it whenever he wanted.

He hadn’t moved on the way her mom thought he had.

“But stress isn’t good for either of you.”

“Either of who?” Her dad asked, panicked as he stared down at Skye’s hand, already piecing it together.

Skye closed her eyes, dreading having to tell him.

“I’m pregnant,” she admitted, not wanting to see the look on his face.

“Please tell me it isn’t Ward’s,” he croaked.

Skye opened her eyes slowly to find his face red and she shrugged sheepishly.

“I could but I would be lying.”

“Melinda, you let Ward knock our baby girl up!” He screeched, reaching for his gun. “I’m going to kill him!”

Her mom rolled her eyes.

“Calm down, Phillip. You’re not going to kill the father of our grandchild.”

Phil froze, his mouth hanging open as he stared at the pair. In less than five minutes he’d gained a daughter and a grandchild, and he looked like he was about to faint.

A loud howl came from the screen and Skye turned to find Nick laughing his ass off followed by Tony while Maria looked stunned.

“Phil is a grandfather,” Nick yelled, slapping the table. “He’s an old man!”

“Phil had sex with the third hottest woman I’ve ever seen!” Tony chuckled, wiping tears from his eyes.

“Who are you calling an old man?” Maria snapped. “You’re old enough to be _my_ grandfather.

And _you’re_ one to talk! You think Pepper can’t do better than you?”

The three began bickering and Bobbi unplugged the screen, cutting off the conference call.

“They were getting on my nerves,” she muttered by way of apology.

Skye gave her a small smile before sniffling into her sleeve.

“This has been a hectic day, perhaps you should lie down,” Jemma suggested, clutching a file to her chest.

“I’m fine,” Skye whispered, not wanting to be fussed over.

“You need to eat something, baby girl,” her mom insisted, running a hand through her hair.

Skye shook her head.

“I’ll just throw it up.”

“Something is better than nothing,” she said calmly.

“I don’t want to see everyone.”

“We’ll bring you something here,” her dad whispered, kneeling in front of the pair and patting Skye’s hand. “The couch pulls out; you can stay up here for as long as you need.”

Skye smiled, doing her best not to cry. This was the Coulson she was used to. The one that loved her and wanted to protect her and take care of her and _not_ the one who kept trying to force her to see her ex-boyfriend.

“We’ll grab something,” Bobbi offered. “Give you three some alone time.”

Bobbi headed for the door, but Jemma stayed put.

“I’ll be there soon,” she called.

“Whatever it is can wait, Simmons,” Coulson said dismissively.

“Sir, this really can’t wait.”

Bobbi lingered in the doorway, giving Coulson a questioning look. He nodded, and she shrugged, disappearing down the hall.

“I’ll be right back, angel,” he whispered, stopping to kiss Skye’s forehead before joining Jemma in the hallway.

Skye watched as they spoke in whispers. After a minute his face fell, and dread coursed through her body. Skye knew it had to be Fitz. He was Jemma’s primary focus and Skye could see she was holding out more lab reports for Coulson to look over.

“He’ll be okay,” her mom lied, wrapping one arm around Skye and pulling her closer. “He has to be,” she insisted, kissing the top of her head.

Skye wasn’t sure she believed that anymore.

“Jemma, wait,” Skye called, sitting up as her dad reentered his office.

“Is something wrong? Are you in pain?”

Skye shook her head.

“No, it’s just earlier, when you did my ultrasound…” Skye began to blush. “I didn’t get to see her and well, can we do another one? Maybe get a picture?” It was stupid, but Skye wanted to see for herself that her tiny bean was okay.

Jemma hesitated for a moment.

“You really should be getting some rest. We can do another in the morning.”

Skye’s face fell.

“Oh, don’t look at me like that, Skye.”

“Just do it, Jemma,” her mom butted-in. “And then I’ll make sure she eats, showers, and goes to bed. I’ll even stay with her to make sure she rests.”

Skye had a feeling her mom would be glued to her side for the next few days.

“Eight hours of sleep,” Jemma insisted, caving.

“Make it nine,” her mom shrugged.

Jemma sighed after a moment.

“Fine. I’ll get the machine ready and have Bobbi bring you something to eat so I can watch you do it.”

“Thank you, Jemma,” Skye called as she walked away.

“And thanks…mom,” Skye said awkwardly, still nowhere near getting used to her new reality.

“Phillip, what’s wrong with Fitz?” Her mom said gently, reaching for his hand.

Even though she’d always suspected there was something there and now knew for a fact they’d been together, it was still weird seeing Melinda May so affectionate with anyone but Skye. She’d gotten used to the gentle way in which she’d handled her these past few weeks, but seeing her do it with someone else was jarring. Especially when he pulled away, still being a jackass.

Skye knew he was mad because of the lying. Skye understood, really, but it wasn’t as if her lie had been as big as Ward’s lies. And she’d only done it to protect him, unlike Ward.

He really needed to get over it already.

“It’s nothing.”

“ _Phillip_ ,” she warned, not in the mood for this.

“Sir-uh, dad,” Skye muttered lamely. “If it’s Fitz, we can handle it.”

He blinked back at them in surprise before shaking his head and taking a seat next to Skye.

“It’s not that, Skye,” he sighed, giving May a _look_.

“Phil,” her mom began, shaking her head.

“I just don’t understand any of this, Melinda. How did he do this?”

“Who do what?” Skye asked, lost.

She looked to her mom for an answer, but she looked ready to murder someone.

“I don’t know, but I’m going to find out and then I’m going to kill him.”

“Not if I do it first.”

They shared a smile and it became clear to Skye that maybe her parents would make up after all. Also, that there may be some murder genes in the family.

Great, just what her kid needed. Killers on both sides.

“Uh, whose murder am I helping cover up? And why?”

They exchanged a look, having a silent conversation. It seemed that her dad lost because her mom was the one who finally spoke.

“I was married before to a man who turned out to be a monster, and now we know, Hydra,” she said with an angry frown.

“Oh, well, glad to see screwing Hydra agents is a family trait.”

Neither parent was amused with Skye’s words.

“So what, you think he took me? Why?”

Her dad shot her mom a glare before speaking.

“Your mom and I were together for years, we were even going to get married, but we broke up over some differences of what direction we wanted out lives to take-”

“I wanted children and he didn’t,” her mom interrupted bluntly, pissing her dad off.

“It’s okay, I know he never wanted kids. He told me it was one of his biggest regrets,” Skye whispered. She always assumed that was why he’d taken her under his wing but now she figured she was just his replacement kid, but not really since she was his actual kid.

Skye felt a headache begin to form.

“And so, your mother married the first jackass who came along-”

“At least I didn’t sleep with everything in a thong, Phillip!”

“Mom, dad, as amusing as this is and not at all psychologically scarring, can we get to the point?”

They glared at each other for another moment before her mom took her hand.

“It turns out the man I married didn’t exist. He’d stolen the identity of someone he killed because he was wanted for doing some pretty horrible things that you don’t need to know about. All you do need to know is he was a medical doctor who even Hydra couldn’t put up with because he was so twisted. Of course, we didn’t know that until Natasha released everyone’s files to the world. All I knew back then is that everything I knew about him was a lie and that he was wanted for murder, so I left him and-”

“Married me a month later,” her dad finished.

Skye glanced between them warily. Something was off here, and Skye couldn’t figure it out yet.

“So, you think he kidnapped me and what? Faked my death to get back at you?”

“I don’t know, baby girl. I just know one night you dad was out on a mission and I went in to check on you and you weren’t breathing and then…” She blinked away tears.

Coulson reached over and took May’s hand, giving it a squeeze.

“When I got to the hospital, they’d sedated your mother. She still has a hard time piecing together what happened, and she was always convinced he’d drugged her and kidnapped you and she hallucinated-”

“Clearly I wasn’t wrong!”

“Melinda, we don’t know what happened-”

“Clearly, she didn’t die, Phillip! He paid someone off to-” May clenched her fingers and took a deep breath. “He took her from that hospital, Phillip. I asked my mother to bring her ashes. There must be something in there with DNA or to prove they aren’t even remains.

I always knew that’s what happened,” she muttered, running a hand over her face.

Skye was still confused but they both looked so upset and she didn’t want to push them. Not tonight.

“How did I end up in China?” Skye whispered, wondering what he’d been up to.

“There was a Hydra base there, masquerading as a research facility. He was probably still working for them then,” her dad muttered.

Skye had never wanted to take down Hydra more than in that moment. Not only had they cost her baby a father, but they’d cost her a life with parents who loved her.

She wanted to punch something but instead she balled her hand into a fist and took deep breaths to calm herself down.

“This is too much for anyone to take in one day,” Coulson whispered, reaching for Skye’s hand. “We’ll discuss everything when you’ve had some rest.”

What else was there to discuss?

They were her parents and one soon-to-be-dead asshole was to blame for ripping their family apart. And when Skye got her hands on him-

Skye furrowed her brows as a very sick feeling crept through her body.

“What did Jemma want?” She asked slowly.

“What?”

“Just now, in the hallway. You said it wasn’t about Fitz, so what was it?”

Her parents shared a very quick ‘look’ but Skye caught it and the meaning behind it.

“Oh my God,” Skye muttered, covering her mouth before she got sick.

“Skye-” Her mom began but she wasn’t in the mood for more lies.

“Coulson isn’t my father, that _monster_ is!”

When neither of them said anything, Skye jerked away from them both and stood, feeling dizzy.

“Skye, calm down, think of the baby-”

“I will not calm down, _mother_! I cannot believe everyone in my life is a liar, even my own parents! No wonder Ward found it so easy to betray me! Everyone else does it!”

“Skye, please,” Phil hissed as he stood and steered her back towards the sofa. “Take a few breaths and let’s talk before you get yourself all worked up over nothing.”

She glared at him, on the verge of either murdering someone with her bare hands or having a complete mental breakdown.

“Are you going to lie some more or finally tell me the truth?”

Coulson rubbed his temples before gesturing towards Skye while giving May a look of despair.

“Talk to our daughter, please.”

May crossed her arms and glared back at him.

“You did this, you clean it up.”

“Ugh,” he groaned loudly as Skye crossed her own arms, not in the mood for this shit.

“Look, Skye, I know this is all very confusing, even I don’t know how this is possible, but that piece of shit is not your dad, _I am_.”

How was he a field agent? He was a terrible liar.

“I don’t believe you.”

“Listen to me young lady,” he scolded, _sounding_ like her dad, but she still wasn’t convinced. “I was with your mother the night she found out she was pregnant and that was the night I became your father. I was there for every doctor’s appointment, which men didn’t do back then, I took care of every weird craving your mother had, I rubbed her feet, I kept her calm every time she swore something was wrong, and I had to verbally beat down an entire hospital staff to be in the room when you were born. And then after you were born, I did the feedings every two hours so your mom could sleep, I changed every diaper, and I was the only one who could get you to calm down when you were screaming your lungs out just because you could. Don’t you ever question who your father is again.”

Normally she’d be moved to tears, but Skye felt empty.

“You just said you became my father the night she found out she was pregnant.”

“Skye-”

“You may be my dad but you’re not my biological father, are you,” she said slowly, without emotion.

His face went red with anger, but Skye could see the truth in his eyes.

“Listen to me, Skye,” her mom interrupted, moving back to her knees so Skye was forced to look at her. “It doesn’t matter who your biological father is, okay? Because Phil is your dad. He was there for you from day one, he’s the one who loved you and took care of you, and he’s still right here.”

“If it doesn’t matter then why did you try to lie to me?” Skye spat angrily, close to tears.

“We weren’t, Skye. We just needed to give you time to process before we dropped this on you.”

Skye’s pulse began to race as it fully hit her that she was the daughter of some Hydra asshole, just like her baby would be.

“Are you sure? You guys got back together really fast after you left him, right? Maybe Coulson really is my dad and you just didn’t know,” she stammered.

It took her a full ten seconds to realize she was wrong.

“Jemma already ruled that out, didn’t she?”

Jesus, Coulson had the worst poker face.

“Phil,” her mom whispered, closing her eyes. “You already knew she wasn’t yours-”

“A person can hope, Melinda!”

“Did you…Were you two having an affair while you were married to my father? Is that why he took me?”

“No!” Her mother insisted loudly, but Skye didn’t trust anyone anymore.

“We should have,” Coulson muttered.

“Phillip!”

“It’s true! If I hadn’t been so damn noble, she would have been mine and we would have avoided all of this!”

May rubbed her temples in annoyance.

“Phillip, do you think he cared? Do you think he even knew she was his? He didn’t take her because he wanted his child, he did it to hurt me for leaving him. Don’t get things twisted and think this happened because we lied. We lied to keep her safe.”

“Tell me everything,” Skye whispered, feeling faint. “How…” Skye wiped away tears, too broken to form words.

“After your mom ran off with that bastard, we were still partners, and forced to work together. We barely spoke in those days, after she broke off our engagement, but a few months into her marriage I could see how unhappy she was, and I couldn’t be mad at her anymore, so we started getting close again. Your mom and I were always best friends and I think I missed that the most.

We were on a mission and one thing led to another and we came very close to crossing a line we shouldn’t, but I stopped it. I didn’t want to your mother back like that. 

And I regret that decision every day of my life because a month later your mother showed up at my door, soaking wet from the rain, sobbing with a suitcase. The moment she told me she was pregnant I never looked back. We weren’t going to let him anywhere near you. I made a decision that night to be your father and I’ve never regretted it.

My only regret is that I didn’t sleep with your mother when I had the chance. If I had…”

“That’s not really how it works,” Skye whispered. If they’d made a kid, then she wouldn’t exist.

“It doesn’t matter, Skye.”

“You seem to think it does. Why else regret me not being yours?”

“Because I hate that you’re tied to that monster,” he insisted, taking Skye’s face in his hands. “I love you more than anything in this world. I always have. Blood means nothing to me. It didn’t twenty-six years ago when I first found out you existed and knew you were mine and it didn’t two years ago when Ward and I brought you onto that bus and I knew we were supposed to be a family.

You’re stuck with me, Skye, biology be damned.”

Skye sobbed loudly through a hiccup and let Coulson pull her into his arms. She buried her face in his suit and wept loudly.

None of this was fair. Coulson should be her actual father and he and May should have gotten the chance to raise her. And her baby should have a father instead of a deadbeat serial killer sperm donor.

This was all too much for one person to process in a lifetime let alone a day.

May ran her fingers through Skye’s hair while she cried.

“You know, Phil’s the one who is on your birth certificate. And we were married when you were born. Legally, he’s your dad. And, except for Jemma, no one else knows, and no one ever has to.

He’s your father in every way that matters.

But I know you might have more questions about _him_ ,” she hissed, “and that’s okay. Just know it doesn’t matter what he is because it has nothing to do with who you are. Phil may not be your biological father, but you’re just like him. Kind, forgiving, full of self-righteous conviction. Everything about you is good, baby. _He_ doesn’t even matter.”

Skye did have questions, a million of them, but for now the only thing that mattered was that her mom was right. Maybe half of her DNA didn’t come from Phil Coulson, but he was still her dad. And that was meant more to her than some asshole.

She pulled away and wiped her tears on the sleeve of her sweater.

“Can we go see Jemma now?” She hiccupped. They all needed something good right about now.

“Of course, sweetheart,” her mom whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead before helping her up. “And then we’ll make you some dinner.”

“I can whip up some matzo ball soup. My mother used to make it for your mom when she was pregnant, it was the only thing she could keep down at first.”

They shared a smile as they walked, and Skye began to hatch a scheme to get them back together.

“I forgot about that.”

“Good, because I guarantee mine won’t taste as good as hers did.”

“I’m sure it will be fine, Phillip.”

Every time Melinda May said the word ‘Phillip’ her tone was a mixture of amusement or annoyance and love.

Oh yes, Skye was going to recruit the girls to get this done before her baby was born.

Skye didn’t even have to use her charm to keep them talking, they flirted the entire walk down to the infirmary, leaving Skye hopeful and giddy.

“It’s about time, I was about to send a search team,” Jemma scolded from her rolling chair.

Skye rolled her eyes.

“We were talking.”

Jemma’s eyes landed on Skye’s red ones and her scowl softened.

“I see. Well, hop back onto the table, then.”

Both May and Coulson tried to help her up and Skye had to resist the urge to tell them to back off. She knew they’d be like this for the first few weeks and she’d indulge them for a few days, until it got to be overbearing.

Skye made a face at the goo Jemma smeared on her pelvis, having already forgotten how gross it was.

Jemma squinted at the screen a few times, while pressing the wand down and around, searching for the kiddo. One she seemed satisfied the machine clicked as it took an image and Jemma turned it around, so the trio could see it.

“Oh,” her mom said loudly, and when Skye turned she found her face buried in her hands and Skye swore she was sobbing.

“Mom?”

“I’m fine,” she insisted, leaning into Coulson as he wrapped an arm around her and kissed the top of her head.

“We’re fine,” he lied, tears in his own eyes.

Skye rolled her eyes but as she glanced back at the screen, she found herself feeling misty too.

“That’s…She’s so big,” Skye whispered. She’d been expecting a tiny little bean, but she could clearly see a small, alien looking blob floating around.

Jemma smiled.

“Well, I’m not expert but she’s about ten or eleven weeks, so she’s starting to gain weight.”

“Nine,” Skye corrected, her eyes still glued to the screen in amazement as her precious girl moved around.

“Skye, look, just because that’s when you two forgot a condom doesn’t mean you weren’t already pregnant. I’m the doctor here,” she huffed, “not you.”

Rolling her eyes, Skye looked away from her baby long enough to give Jemma a ‘look’.

“Jemma, I know exactly when she was conceived because while Ward and I definitely had a lot of sex it was all in the same night which was nine weeks ago.”

“Fucking hell,” Coulson muttered, looking disgusted.

“How did you think she got pregnant, Phil?” Her mom teased with a frown. She didn’t want to hear about their sex life either.

Jemma made a face.

“Skye, I think your math is off. Nine weeks ago is when SHIELD- _Oh_ ,” she said, eyes wide when Skye gave her a ‘look’ that said ‘yes it was’.

The awkwardness in the room grew so thick Skye could feel it suffocating her.

“Well, at least she’s developing well,” Jemma commented as she avoided looking at May and Coulson.

Skye did the same. She was so not ready to talk about how she spent hours humping Ward in the wake of everything falling apart.

“Now let’s listen for her heartbeat,” Jemma said, flipping a switch. A moment later a loud whooshing noise filled her ears and then what Skye swore was a heartbeat but sounded too fast. “There we go. She’s at one-sixty, she’s a strong little thing.”

“Damn right she is,” May said proudly.

Skye sat in a stunned silence.

This was real. She was actually having a baby. A tiny little person who was going to depend on her for everything. Who she was going to love so much it already terrified her.

“Oh my God,” Skye sobbed, covering her mouth. “That’s my baby,” she whispered with a smile.

“She’s perfect,” May insisted, kissing Skye’s temple.

“Look how strong she is already,” Skye cried proudly, placing both hands over her heart.

“She’s a May woman, of course she is,” Coulson smiled, wrapping an arm around each of them.

“Just like you were,” May informed her.

Skye closed her eyes, feeling so happy she couldn’t handle it. The only thing that could make this moment better was if Grant were here.

She shoved the thought of him from her mind, not wanting the let the sadness of his absence take over.

He’d made his choice and now he was going to miss out on the best thing that would ever happen to him, because Skye knew there was no way in hell she could ever let him find out he was a father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are appreciated.


	10. (Skye) My Burden to Bear…

**_June 2014_ **

Skye gripped the tablet in her hands, her eyes still firmly set on the large steel door that led to a staircase down to a vault which held the father of her child prisoner. All she had to do was press a button, move her feet forward, and then discover what seeing him again would do to her. But she couldn’t do any of these things. She couldn’t even move. She’d been standing here, numbly, for hours, unable to work through her mess of emotions as a hundred different scenarios played through her mind.

The one in which he finished the job Quinn couldn’t. One in which he confessed to being a triple agent all along. The one where he begged for her forgiveness. One where he took their baby, just like Cal had taken her. The one where he was a monster just like he claimed his own parents were. One where they were a family, and happy, but his family hurt the baby. And many others.

One thing was very clear: whether the threat was Grant Ward himself, his family, or his enemies, their baby was in danger simply for being his.

It didn’t matter how desperately Skye wanted to storm down to his cell, scream at him until he proved to her he was worthy of a second chance, and then find a way to make this work, she couldn’t take that risk.

She no longer had the privilege of being selfish. Her life was no longer her own. Their baby came first.

“Not that I’m not enjoying this, but are you planning to stand here all night?”

Skye jumped, her heart-racing in surprise as she spun around to find Trip leaning against a wall with his arms crossed.

“How long have you been here?” Skye hissed, angry at herself for not knowing he was there.

“About an hour.”

Fucking hell.

Skye turned back towards the door and gave it a final, regretful, fleeting glance before flipping the cover closed on her tablet and heading for the stairs.

“It’s okay if you want to see him, Skye,” Trip called, giving her a look that was a mix of genuine concern and pity.

“What I want doesn’t matter,” she whispered, mostly to herself.

“I think your baby would want you to see him.”

Skye froze on the third step and gripped the rail as she stared back at him, stunned.

“Who told you?”

Trip shrugged.

“I wasn’t sure until now, but it explains why you’re down here at three a.m.”

Skye sighed and glanced down at her feet, trying to control her hormonal urge to cry. She wasn’t ready to talk about this. She knew she had to eventually, she couldn’t keep hiding in Couls-her dad’s office, but running away from her problems had always been her first instinct.

“Skye, no one is going to blame you for wanting to see your kid’s dad.”

“I don’t give a damn what anyone thinks,” Skye insisted.

“Then what’s wrong?” Trip made his way closer and placed a hand on her arm gently. “I’ll stay with you if you want. If you’re worried he’ll hurt you-”

“I’ll shoot him between the eyes before he can try,” Skye insisted.

Trip didn’t look convinced.

“Look, I need to think about what’s best for our kid, and honestly, I don’t think it’s him.”

“That’s an understatement,” Trip muttered. He’d done his best to support her through her conflicting feelings for Ward, but Skye knew he hated him and she didn’t blame him.

“I just need time,” she sighed.

“I get that and I’m here, for whatever you need.”

Skye smiled.

“Thanks, Trip.”

“Now, we should get you back to bed before May or Coulson find out you’re missing and lock the base down. I swear those two think you’re their kid or something.”

Skye pressed her lips together to keep from smirking.

“You have no idea,” she muttered, pausing in front of the infirmary.

She still felt horrible that Idaho was laid up in there because of her. She owed him an explanation. And once she did that…

Well, then she’d have to tell everyone about her situation and deal with their hate faces.

“How much longer do you think I can keep avoiding everyone?” She sighed.

“Not long but another day won’t kill them.”

Skye smiled up at Trip just as loud footsteps filled the hall.

“There you are, young lady! Where have you been?”

Skye rolled her eyes. What was she? Twelve?

“I found her sitting with Fitz,” Trip lied, and Skye glanced up at him gratefully. Sure, she didn’t care what other people thought, but she didn’t want her mom freaking out because Skye had been outside Ward’s vault.

May’s anger face softened as she reached out and brushed some of Skye’s hair back.

“I wish you’d told me. I was worried sick. And your father is about to have a stroke-”

Trip made a choking noise and May met Skye’s eyes with a shrug.

“We have to start telling people before Jemma bursts from the pressure of keeping this a secret.”

“Aww hell no,” Trip muttered, shaking his head. “Are you telling me I owe Hunter twenty bucks?”

Skye rolled her eyes and let her mom lead her away, Trip on their heels.

Maybe the news that May and Coulson were her parents would overshadow her own baby news.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“Oy, look who decided to grace us with her presence,” Hunter teased as Skye entered the kitchen.

“Shut up, Hunter,” May ordered from behind Skye.

“Sit down baby girl, I’ll get you some toast,” she whispered before giving Skye’s shoulder a squeeze.

Skye gave her a smile and took a seat with Jemma, hoping she waited until after breakfast to start fussing over her again.

“How are you dealing with… _everything_?” Jemma whispered, shooting a look at Hunter to make sure he wasn’t eavesdropping.

Skye shrugged as she reached for the glass of water May had already set down for her. The smell of whatever meat was cooking on the stove was making her stomach turn.

“Did you get some sleep?” Bobbi asked, reaching over to squeeze Skye’s hand with a small smile.

“A little.” It was hard to sleep with so much on her mind.

“Here you go.” May placed a plate with a single piece of toast in front of Skye. “There’s honey butter on it, it’ll help your stomach,” she whispered, running a hand through her hair.

She was being far less affectionate in public, but Hunter wasn’t as stupid as he looked.

“Since when does May coddle her agents?”

“Eat your breakfast, Lance,” Bobbi ordered.

“No. I know Skye’s her favorite, but this is weird.”

Jemma shot him a glare before she and Bobbi shared a look and shook their heads.

“What are you women hiding?” Hunter complained.

“Shut up, Hunter,” May repeated as she took a seat next to Skye and brushed her hair over her shoulders, so it would stay out of her food.

“Where’s Coulson?” Skye whispered, barely picking at her toast.

“Gathering the rest of the team,” May whispered.

Skye stared down at the piece she’d chipped off nervously. They’d decided to tell their team what was going on, it was only fair to them after all. Skye knew eventually word would get around to the entire base, but she couldn’t worry about that now.

“Try to eat, sweetheart.”

“I’m too nervous,” Skye admitted. Not to mention this kid was trying to kill her.

“Where’s Coulson? He asked us all to meet him here and he’s late,” Izzy announced as she came in followed by Mack and Trip.

May glanced towards the door, furrowing her brows.

Izzy was right; Coulson was late which wasn’t like him.

“Do you think something’s wrong?” Skye whispered.

“No. I’m sure one of the Koenig’s is just talking his ear off about something,” May insisted, but not convincingly.

“The only thing I ever respected about you, Phillip, is that you don’t coddle Melinda. Don’t turn into a complete disappointment now,” a firm female voice rang from the other side of the door.

May froze at Skye’s side before turning and staring through the peep window of the door.

“Fuck, they’re early,” she hissed, as close to a panic as Skye had ever seen her.

“Who?” Skye asked, confused.

“Honestly, Lian, it isn’t what you think!” Coulson’s voice grew louder as the door opened and a very stern woman stormed into the room, reminding Skye of May but scarier, followed by a man who looked exhausted and worried, and a woman who Skye figured out pretty quickly was her aunt because holy shit the resemblance to her mom and herself was dead on.

“Mom, dad, you’re early,” Melinda said calmly.

“Holy shit, Mama May is scary,” Hunter muttered, and he wasn’t wrong.

“Qiaolian, this is an intervention,” Mama-no, _Grandma_ May began.

“Hello, sweetheart,” Skye’s grandfather greeted from behind his wife, trying not to sigh.

“Hi daddy,” her mom said with a smile.

“‘Daddy’?” Hunter mouthed in shock and Skye rolled her eyes.

Idiot.

“Mom, did you bring me what I asked for?”

“I don’t know what got you started on this nonsense again, Qiaolian, but I’m putting a stop to it right now. You should have married Andrew instead of Phillip; at least he didn’t stand around doing nothing while you spiraled out of control.”

Coulson pinched the bridge of his nose before shrugging in Melinda and Skye’s direction.

“Will you tell her please?”

“Tell me what?” She asked, glaring a hole through Coulson’s skull.

Now Skye knew where her mom got it from.

She smirked, catching the attention of Grandpa May who met her eyes for a long moment before glancing towards his oldest daughter then back to Skye and then back again.

“Lian, darling,” he muttered, gripping her arm.

“Not now, William,” she argued, still glaring at Coulson.

“ _Lian_ ,” he said louder this time, pulling her closer to get her attention.

“Oh, honestly, I know Phillip’s the son you never had but now is not the time to indulge him!”

“Lian, you can yell at the boy all you want later, but _look_ ,” he hissed, grabbing her face and forcing her to look at Skye.

“Look at what?” She snapped, pulling his hands away angrily.

“Holy crap, mom,” Auntie May said, stunned as she stared at Skye.

“Language, Serinda.”

William, her grandfather, continued to stare at Skye, stunned, for the longest minute of her life before leaving his wife’s side and walking slowly towards Skye.

“Melinda, is this who I think it is?”

Skye’s mom gave her a small smile before reaching out to stroke her hair.

“It is, daddy,” she whispered, making Skye hold her breath.

Sure, they’d all be happy at first, but what if they got to know her and were disappointed?

“Margaret?” His voice was as shaky as the hand that reached out for her. He thought better of it though and pulled back nervously. “May I?” He asked, holding his arms open, asking permission to hug her.

Skye could see where she got her own sensitivity from. William was the opposite of his wife. While she was fierce and seemed cold, he was kind and warm. And close to tears.

“It’s Skye now,” she shrugged, her cheeks red. “But yeah, it’s me…grandpa,” she tried out, wondering if she’d ever get used to it. “And uh…sure?” She stood awkwardly, not sure who should make the first move, but a second later he’d pulled Skye into his arms and was now rocking her gently, crying into her shoulder.

“My sweet girl, you came home.” He stroked her hair with one hand and reached for Melinda’s with the other.

“Holy crap,” Serinda repeated, staring at the pair with her eyes wide.

“Oh my God, Melinda,” Izzy muttered from the table.

“How?” William muttered as he broke away and touched Skye’s cheek, studying her face.

“Uh, well, Bob and Jem did a DNA test and-”

“No, I mean, how did you find…” He glanced over Skye’s shoulder at his daughter, too stunned to finish his thought.

“She’s a stubborn pain in the ass is how,” her mom said, and Skye glanced over to find her grinning proudly.

“I found a redacted SHIELD file when I was searching for my birth parents, so I hacked into SHIELD and let myself get caught so I could access their servers. Couls-uh, my dad, was so impressed that he brought me onto the team and-”

“What the bloody fuck?” Hunter cried out.

“Hold up, what?” Mack stuttered in surprise.

“Why do none of the rest of you look surprised?” Hunter screeched, staring at Bobbi and Jemma incredulously. “You two knew about this and didn’t tell anyone?”

Bobbi rolled her eyes.

“Honestly, Lance, it’s been two days.”

“How did you two know?” He asked, pointing between Trip and Izzy.

“May and Skye told me last night,” Trip shrugged.

“Melinda and I have been friends for thirty years, Hunter, do you really think I didn’t know about her past? And honestly, nothing surprises me anymore.”

“Melinda, is this true?”

Skye, William, and her mom all glanced in Lian’s direction. She still looked as badass as ever, but Skye could see this desperate flicker in her eyes.

“The girls ran four lab tests, mom; it’s true.”

She still looked unconvinced, so Skye reluctantly let go of William and nervously tucked her hair behind her ear, needing to keep her hands busy.

“I know this is all…” Skye frowned, unsure of what to say. “It’s a lot to get used to,” she offered, feeling like an idiot.

“Wait, so you called us all down here to tell what, the three of us who didn’t know, that you knocked up May and made Skye?” Hunter stammered, staring at Coulson.

Coulson closed his eyes with a long sigh and Skye could see the vein in his temple which meant he was getting a migraine.

“Lance, stop talking,” Izzy warned.

“I thought Skye was going to tell us she’s pregnant with Ward’s demon spawn.”

“My baby is not demon spawn!” Skye snapped, glaring in Hunter’s direction. All she had to do was fling herself across that table and snap his stupid little neck-

“My God,” Lian muttered. “She _is_ our grandchild.”

Skye glanced back at her before shooting Hunter a final warning glare.

She’d kill him later.

“You know you and May have the same mad fac-oh look, all four of them have it,” Hunter muttered nervously as all four of the May women shot him a warning ‘look’.

“Come, my girl,” Lian said, still giving Hunter murder eyes as she steered Skye towards the door. “You can tell me all about yourself, starting with the father of my great-grandchild and what he did to deserve the beating I’m going to give him later.”

_Oh joy_ , Skye thought, hoping someone saved her from this.

And as if the universe herself was answering Skye’s calls, the base alarm went off.

“I brought booze and cigars,” Tony announced before everyone had their weapons drawn. “To celebrate Phil getting a hot woman to sleep with him!”

Maria followed, rolling her eyes, with Nick on her heels.

“You couldn’t use your lanyard, Maria?” Coulson snapped, glaring at Tony.

“Oh look, Coulson makes the face too,” Hunter muttered.

“He likes to make a dramatic entrance,” Maria shrugged with a shake of her head.

“So, who needs a drink?” Tony offered, and Skye wished she could have one because fuck if she didn’t need one right about now.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“I’m so sorry, Idaho,” Skye repeated for the sixth time.

Idaho shrugged for the sixth time. “It’s cool, you gotta keep the little agent safe.”

Skye gave him a smile. She knew he was high on morphine, but he was being surprisingly chill about all of this and he hadn’t even insulted Ward or called her baby a ‘demon spawn’ once.

“How are you feeling?”

“The drugs are really good,” he muttered, closing his eyes.

Skye smiled and reached over to squeeze his hand.

“I’ll let you get some sleep.” She couldn’t hide out here much longer and poor Idaho looked ready to pass out.

“Hey, is it true May and Coulson are your parents?” So, word had already gotten out? “That’s fucked up,” he muttered, slurring his words.

“Yeah, it is,” she replied, leaning over to kiss his forehead. “Get some sleep. I’ll be back tomorrow.”

“Uh huh,” he muttered, lifting his hand to wave but it only made it an inch off the bed before falling at his side followed by his snores a second later.

Skye shook her head with a smile as she walked out.

When she’d slipped away Tony and Nick had stolen her dad away for a ‘drink’ whilst her grandmother had taken her mom away for a ‘talk’ leaving her aunt and the others to pop open one of the bottles Tony had brought.

She wasn’t in the mood to be interrogated by her grandmother or to put up with everyone’s questions. What she was in the mood for was to take a morphine nap like Idaho, but since she couldn’t do that to her kid, she’d have to settle with sneaking away to her room to attempt a regular nap.

“There you are,” William greeted.

How long had he been standing outside of her door?

Skye realized she hadn’t noticed him in the crowd earlier and felt horrible.

“Hi. I uh…I’m sorry, I needed to get out of there.”

He gave her a smile.

“I understand. The noise can be too much sometimes.”

‘Noise’ was one way to describe it.

“As can your grandmother.”

Skye smiled.

“Do you want to come in? I need to sit down,” Skye offered as she opened her door. Once the kiddo was born, they’d have to find a new sleeping situation, but for now she and Jemma were still bunkmates.

“Sure,” he followed, awkwardly fidgeting his fingers.

So, that’s where she got it from.

William took a seat at the desk chair while Skye sat crossed-legged on her mattress, holding a pillow in her lap so she could toy with a loose string.

“So…” Skye began, unsure of what to say. Normally she used snark to get through uncomfortable silences, but she suspected that wouldn’t go over well with her grandparents.

“How are you feeling? I mean…” He gestured awkwardly towards her stomach. “I’m sorry, I’m, not usually this bad at this,” he admitted with a blush.

“It’s okay, this is really weird.”

Most people didn’t meet their grandparents at twenty-five.

“It is but it’s also a miracle.”

Now Skye was the one blushing.

“Your grandmother had two easy pregnancies. No morning sickness, no weird cravings. She kept working until they forced her to take time off. And she’s already moody, so if there was any change there, I never noticed it.”

Skye did her best not to chuckle.

“But your mom had a really hard time at the beginning. Couldn’t keep anything down. Cried at the drop of a pin.”

“Sounds about right,” Skye muttered, shaking her head. “This kid is sucking the life out of me. Guess it’s payback for putting my mom through that.”

William smiled.

“If she’s anything like you, she’ll be worth it.”

“You don’t even know me,” Skye shrugged, her ears turning red.

“No, but I’d like to.”

Skye exhaled slowly, a knot of tension she didn’t realize she’d been holding escaping her body.

“I think we can arrange that.”


	11. (Skye) Is a Love I Can’t Carry Anymore

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot today was Sunday, and it’s still Sunday for me, so not late!

_“I don’t know what to do,” Skye sniffled, doing her best not to cry._

_“You’ll do the right thing,” William insisted._

_Skye glanced up at the ceiling, battling back tears. They’d known each other for a total of twelve hours. He couldn’t possibly know that. Especially when her track record said she’d do the wrong thing._

_“Doubtful.”_

_William wrapped one arm around Skye and gave her shoulder a squeeze._

_“I believe in you.”_

Skye was pretty damn sure she wasn’t doing the right thing. Not by a mile. So, it was a good thing that her favorite grandfather wasn’t here to be disappointed.

She’d been through this routine every single night this week, with Trip hanging back, babysitting her like she couldn’t be trusted alone, which it turned out wasn’t far from the truth. Because Trip was nowhere to be found, and here she was, about to do something incredibly stupid.

After taking a few deep breaths to gather her nerves, Skye stormed down to Grant’s vault before she could change her mind, a long monologue filled with screaming on the tip of her tongue.

“Okay, asshole, wake your ass up beca-” Skye froze at the bottom of the stairs, blinking in surprise as a cold chill of fear slithered up her spine.

“What the fuck?” Skye panicked.

Running back upstairs, she flew through the base, rushing right past a screaming Trip who hadn’t expected for her to go to the vaults an hour earlier than usual.

Not caring that it was one a.m., Skye pounded on her dad’s office door, annoyed it was locked for once.

When he finally came to the door he was wiping at his eyes and missing a shirt, while her mom calmly sat on the pull-out bed like their daughter hadn’t totally caught them in bed together.

Skye _so_ did not have time to deal with that right now.

“Where is he?” Skye cried, her heart racing.

“Who?” He asked, throwing on the shirt her mom tossed his way.

“Sir, I think she _might_ know about Ward,” Trip panted as he caught up with her.

Skye’s heart sank to the pit of her stomach.

“Daddy?” She whispered, the tears coming. She couldn’t fathom what had happened, but she knew it was bad judging by the looks on their faces.

“You were supposed to keep her from going down there,” her dad reprimanded.

“Excuse me?” Skye hissed angrily. “You had someone _spying_ on me? And _you_ ,” Skye yelled, poking Trip in the chest, “were just faking concern?”

“Hell no,” Trip said, shooting Coulson a glare. “I wanted to tell you, but the director ordered me not to.”

“And what would you have done if I’d gone down there before tonight?”

Trip shrugged.

“Not breaking orders if you found out on your own.”

“Found out what! No one is telling me anything! Where’s Ward?”

“What were you doing down there?” Coulson yelled back.

May strolled past him, shooting him a death glare, before taking Skye by the arm.

“Come on, baby girl, I’ll take you to him.”

Skye’s heartrate slowed down. So, he wasn’t dead? They’d just moved him? Why?

“Mom, why are we going towards the infirmary?” Her panic returned full force. 

“Baby, listen,” her mom said, gripping Skye’s shoulder’s as she faced her. “It looks a lot worse than it is. He’s going to be fine.”

Skye stepped away from her, feeling sick.

“What happened?”

May stared down at her for a long moment, as if she was trying to decide on the answer.

“Mom, just tell me. I’m a big girl. I can handle it,” Skye demanded.

“Ward had heart surgery,” she said slowly, letting out a long sigh as she did so.

Heart…

Skye blinked up at her, shaking her head. Because the fractured larynx and nails to the foot hadn’t been enough a few weeks ago? Now this?

“That device Garrett made Mike use to stop his heart did more damage than we knew and there was a tear that needed to be repaired-”

“This is my fault,” Skye whispered, backing away and placing a hand over her middle. She was going to throw up.

“No, baby girl, that’s ridiculous,” May insisted, reaching for her.

Skye shook her head and pulled away, acid stinging at the back of her throat.

“I waited too long. I let his heart stop. I should have stopped him sooner.”

“Skye, you did nothing wrong.”

Skye covered her mouth, choking back vomit.

“I did thi-” The contents of her stomach were on the floor before she could fully hunch over.

“Baby, shh,” her mom whispered in a soothing tone as she held her hair back. “Let it out, there we go.”

Once Skye was able to stand, her mom wrapped an arm around her shaking body and led her into the infirmary and onto one of the cots.

Skye’s entire body continued to tremble as she sobbed.

May placed a cold towel on the back of Skye’s neck before using a second to wipe the vomit off of Skye’s lips and shirt.

“I love him,” Skye cried.

“I know baby,” she whispered, rubbing Skye’s back.

“Get out!” May ordered.

Skye looked up to find a guilty Coulson in the doorway.

“Angel, I’m sorry-”

“Go away,” Skye hiccupped. She was sick of lies. And this was a big one.

“Let me explain-”

Skye turned her back to him and curled up on the cot, hugging her knees to her chest while she cried some more.

“Go to bed, Phillip, tonight’s not the time,” May ordered, reaching out to stroke Skye’s hair.

“Close your eyes, baby. You rest, and in the morning, you can see him.”

Skye shook her head, still crying.

“Keep him away from me. Everyone dies because of me. You can’t let him die.”

May wrapped an arm around her and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

“He’s not going to die. I promise.”

“Cold,” Skye shivered.

This was all too much for her to handle on a normal week, but to handle it while trying to grow another person? She had to remember to take care of the baby first and her meltdown second.

Mom disappeared for a minute and Skye glanced over her shoulder into the room Ward had to be in. He’d been here for who knew how long, just feet away from where she’d heard their baby’s heartbeat for the first time.

She remembered the night she’d stayed here and sworn she’d heard him calling her name. Had it really been a dream, or had he been calling out for her?

“Here you go,” May whispered, covering Skye with a thick blanket. Her eyes moved to where Skye’s were burning a hole through Ward’s door and she gave Skye’s hand a light squeeze.

“He’s really going to be okay?” Skye whispered, meeting her eyes.

May gave her a nod.

“Better than okay. If they hadn’t found that tear…Let’s just say it’s a good thing they caught it now.”

Skye had a dozen more questions, but she could barely keep her eyes open.

“And I can see him in the morning?” She whispered, turning to her side to try to get comfortable.

“First thing.”

With a sigh Skye closed her eyes and let herself enjoy the feeling of her mom running her fingers through her hair.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Skye woke up with the feeling of being watched. Glancing over her shoulder she found a red-faced, tearful Jemma watching her. With a sigh, Skye blinked and pulled the blanket over her head. It was way too early for this shit. And she had a boyfriend to look stunning for. Okay, maybe not stunning, but at least without raccoon eyes.

“Go to bed, Jem,” Skye muttered through a yawn. “It’s too early.”

“You’re not mad?” Jemma sniffled, and Skye realized she was not getting back to sleep this morning.

Sighing, Skye stretched out and pulled the blanket around her shoulders as she sat up. Covering a yawn, she rubbed the crust out of her eyes and stared at Jemma, finally taking in how terrible she looked.

“For what?” Skye yawned again. For lying? “Oh yeah, that was a dick move,” Skye said seriously. She couldn’t believe they’d all been lying to her.

“Skye, I’m so sorry!” Jemma cried, reaching for her hands. “I know it was wrong and you’ll probably never forgive me, but I’m sorry!”

It wasn’t that deep, but Skye was too exhausted to do anything but pat her hand.

“I swear to you, I just had a breakdown. I would never…I just…I don’t know what I was thinking! Please don’t hate me.”

Skye slowly pulled away from Jemma, raising an eyebrow while scrunching up her nose. What the hell was Jemma going on about?

“I just wanted to hurt him, not kill him!”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Skye said angrily as she realized they’d all lied once again. “What did you do to him?”

Jemma blinked in surprise at Skye’s outburst.

“I…I thought they told you?”

“Told me what? More lies!”

“Skye, I’m sorry-”

“Get away from me!” Skye yelled as Jemma tried to take her hand again.

She couldn’t even look at her, she was disgusted. They all behaved as though they were morally superior, but they were all liars and killers, just like Ward.

Jumping off the cot, Skye threw on her shoes and stormed out, ignoring Jemma’s pleas behind her.

There was only one liar Skye felt like screaming at right now and his name was ‘dad’.

“I cannot believe you!” Skye yelled as she kicked down his door. She knew she looked like a sight from a horror movie with her face red, hair wild, and a murderous look in her eyes but she didn’t care. He’d better be scared because she was done with his bullshit.

“Morning, daughter,” he called dryly from the mirror where he was tying his tie.

“Did you really think I wouldn’t find out what really happened to Ward?”

“What happened to Ward?”

Skye turned to find her mom with her arms crossed, staring past her to glare at Coulson.

“Jemma tried to kill him!”

“What the hell?” Trip was the next to appear, carrying a coffee mug.

Skye glared between them, all trust gone.

“You two really didn’t know about this?”

“Hell no,” Trip insisted, giving Coulson a disgusted look. “All I know is they told me he had surgery and to keep you from finding out until you were feeling better.”

Her mom said nothing, because she was too busy trying to glare a hole through Coulson’s skull.

“Trip, I need a moment alone with my family. Go finish breakfast.”

“It’s already done, that’s what I came to tell you-”

“Then go eat it,” she ordered calmly, her fingers itching, and Skye suspected they wanted to go for her gun.

“You going to be okay?” Trip asked, ignoring May to look at Skye.

“No, but I will be. Save me some bacon,” Skye said, closing the door behind him so she could yell louder without people eavesdropping. She could see the pained look on Trip’s face as she did so, but she’d deal with him later.

And Jemma.

“Explain yourself, Phillip,” her mother ordered, firmly standing her ground.

He threw on his suit jacket and tried to walk past them, but May’s hand shot out so fast Skye didn’t even realize she’d moved until he was pinned to the door, sweating as his life flashed before his eyes.

“You don’t get to lie to me or our daughter and then walk away, Phillip. You’d better start talking, or I’ll find Jemma and make her tell me everything and I think we both know how fast she’d break.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“Phil, when it comes to _my_ daughter, I’ll do anything. What the hell happened?”

He stared her down for a long moment, as if he was brave enough to stand up to her, but then he caught sight of Skye’s face and his own slowly fell.

“Fine,” he muttered in resignation. “But just know I didn’t say anything because I was waiting on the therapist I hired for Jemma. The girl’s broken, Melinda. They all are. And us ignoring it and pretending they’ll move on with time isn’t doing any of them any good. They’re all going to have psychotic breaks if we don’t do something and Jemma can’t be blamed for what she did.”

“Phil,” May warned, not in the mood for this.

“I didn’t lie to you about Ward’s condition. That device really did damage his heart, which we never knew because the doctors only treated his injuries at the time. If she hadn’t done what she did the boy may have died.”

“Dad!” Skye yelled angrily, not in the mood to listen to him justify cold-blooded murder.

“She got her hands on the device-”

“How?” Her mom accused.

“It was in the lab, so we could develop our own version-”

May closed her eyes with a wince, fighting back her anger. Skye knew she wanted to hit him but wouldn’t in front of her.

“What did she do, Phil?”

He swallowed nervously before clearing his throat.

“She tried to stop his heart, but the device malfunctioned, and he had a heart attack. Luckily Hunter went after her when he realized what she was up to and was able to keep his heart going with chest compressions until we could get him up to surgery.”

“Christ,” May cursed, releasing him. She ran a hand over her face before turning to Skye and holding out her arms.

Skye hesitated for a moment before walking into her embrace and wrapping her arms around her middle, doing her best not to cry. May was the only person who had never lied to her and she wasn’t going to let her very valid insecurities make her doubt her own mother.

“Pack your bags, we’re going to stay with your grandparents and I’ll get your grandmother to talk to the CIA about getting Ward somewhere safe.”

“You’d really leave SHIELD for me?” Skye whispered, not sure she could do this. But her mom was right, Ward needed to be safe.

“I don’t give a damn about SHIELD.”

“You’re not taking my daughter, Melinda!” Coulson stammered in a panic. “I know I should have told you what happened, but that doesn’t mean you just leave! And don’t forget you’re both fugitives!”

May shot him a glare.

“We’ll work out a deal.”

“Melinda, there are no deals to be made! They’re out for blood. You’ll both wind up in prison, and Ward will be thrown in Gitmo. Our grandchild will be born in a prison hospital and then put into the foster system. Do you really want that?”

“There are deals to be made, Phil-”

“No, there aren’t,” he said sadly. “You think I haven’t tried? That Tony hasn’t tried? Trip and Sharon were given passes because of Gabe and Peggy. The others were whistleblowers. They’re throwing our people into prison, Melinda. Treating them like they’re traitors when all they ever did was serve their country bravely.

I know you both hate me right now, but trust me, if there was a way to get you both out of this mess, I would have found it. I would give all of this up in a heartbeat if it meant keeping you both safe.

And I know you hate me for keeping Ward here, but I don’t know what else to do with him. He’ll be killed or tortured if we turn him in and I wouldn’t let you go through that, Skye.”

“He can’t stay here,” Skye whispered, releasing her mom. “It’s not safe for him.”

“Skye-”

“No, dad, Jemma won’t be the first who tries to kill him. Ward may be a lying bastard but he’s still the father of my child and I don’t want him murdered in cold blood by some vengeful SHIELD agent. You need to find a way to get him to a real prison. Talk to Talbot, maybe they can reduce his charges from treason to murder or anything that will keep him safe.”

Skye wasn’t sure whether she hated him or not, but she did know she’d always love him, no matter what, and just the thought of him dying was devastating enough without it becoming her reality. There was no forgiving what he’d done, he deserved to pay for what he did, but not with his life.

Never with his life.

“He’s the son of Massachusetts’s first family, and in the eyes of the public a traitor to this country. They need to make an example of Grant Ward. It’s why we faked his death. Talbot already agreed to that if we kept him locked up in the vaults. I’ve done what I can’t keep him safe.”

“Well, it isn’t good enough,” Skye spat angrily.

“What if Grant Ward doesn’t go to prison,” her mother offered, arms crossed again.

“What?” Skye glanced towards her in confusion.

“Grant Ward’s ‘dead’ so we send someone else to prison for crimes we make up.”

“Use a fake name?” Her dad asked, also confused.

May shrugged.

“We’ve done it before with agents who went rogue to keep them from compromising SHIELD. Why not now? Give him a new name, enough crimes to put him away in a supermax where they can’t get to him, and make sure they move him every few months, so he can’t be found. It’s not ideal, but Skye’s right; he’s a sitting duck here and if Grant Ward goes to prison his family, or Hydra, will have him murdered there.”

Coulson pondered May’s plan for a moment before glancing towards Skye.

“It’s your decision.”

“Make whatever deal you need to make to keep him safe.”

“Skye, are you sure you don’t want him here-” her dad started.

She shook her head furiously. 

“But you went to see him, that means you were ready to for-”

She met his eyes, her own filled with tears, pleading with him not to finish that sentence. She had been willing to forgive him and try to make this work and then, if he proved himself, she’d tell him about the baby. But now she knew how stupid she’d been to think they could ever be okay or a family. To keep him alive she needed him in hiding, and to keep her baby safe she needed them separated.

It sucked, and she wanted to scream or run away with him, but she knew this was something they couldn’t run away from. They’d both made their beds and now it was time to sleep in them.

“This doesn’t have to be forever,” her mom whispered, squeezing Skye’s shoulders from behind. “In a few years, when this all blows over and he’s had some time to change-”

“Whatever, it’s done,” Skye muttered.

The only hope she had for the future was for their kid. That it would grow up happy and healthy and safe. Asking for anything more with her track record seemed to be too much.

“You’ll take care of it?” Skye asked, looking at Coulson. “I want nothing to do with any of this.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll find a way.”

“Good,” Skye muttered, moving towards the door. She paused, her fingers gripping the handle, and turned to give her dad a look that showed how disappointed she was in him.

“No more lies. I swear to this baby, dad, I will take her, and you’ll never see me again. And now you know mom will come with me, so you’ll lose all three of us,” she warned. Without another word Skye stormed out of his office and walked down to the common with room with purpose.

There was one more person to be dealt with.


	12. (Skye) Out of Breath

Skye strolled into the common room, past all of the agents shooting dirty looks her way, and right to where her ‘friends’ were comforting a weeping Jemma on the couch.

Jemma caught sight of Skye and jumped to her feet, rushing to take her hand.

“Oh, there you are. Skye, I’m so sor-”

Skye had Jemma shoved against a wall with a blade to her throat before she could finish speaking.

“I’m not in the mood for your fake apologies. It’s my fucking turn to talk.”

She could feel dozens of eyes on her and she didn’t give a damn. In fact, she hoped they enjoyed the show.

“Skye, what the hell-”

Trip pulled a gun from where he sat at the kitchen island before Hunter could reach for his.

“Anyone touches Skye, and I’ll shoot,” he warned.

With a smirk, Skye pressed the blade deeper, until she saw real fear in Jemma’s eyes.

“This is what’s going to happen. If you, or anyone else, goes near Ward again, I’ll kill you,” she instructed calmly. “I’m giving you a pass-this time. We’re even now,” Skye spat.

“What?” Jemma cried as she struggled beneath the weight of Skye’s body.

“My boyfriend almost killed yours, you almost killed mine. We’re square. Sound good?”

Jemma nodded in fear and Skye stared her down for another few seconds before releasing her violently. She fell to the floor, sobbing loudly, and Skye resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

“That goes for the rest of you too,” Skye announced, making sure to look at every single person dead in the eyes.

Once she was sure she’d gotten her point across, she stepped over Jemma and walked right out of the room like nothing had happened.

“My God, she’s bleeding,” Bobbi cried. “Get me a towel!”

“You lucky as hell she’s half Coulson, ‘cause May would have killed your ass without question,” she heard Trip scold behind her.

Shaking her head, Skye headed back to her room to pack her things. There was no way in hell she was sleeping in the same room as Jemma tonight.

“So, did you do what you needed to do?”

Skye turned to find Hunter crossing his arms in the hallway behind her.

“They’re all scared of me now, right?”

“They’d better be. Even I’m a little scared.”

“Good,” she smirked.

“Skye,” he began with a sigh.

“Keep Jemma away from Ward and we won’t have a problem.”

Realizing she was serious, he turned to leave.

“Hunter!” She called, waiting until he glanced back at her to speak again.

“I forgot to thank you.”

“For what?”

“For saving his life,” she said, her voice close to cracking. “You have your own reasons for wanting him dead. You could have just let him die.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t kill unless it’s a direct order,” he shrugged. “Or there’s money involved,” he added with a wink before heading back towards the others.

Skye rolled her eyes with a small smile.

_Idiot._

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“Hey there, killer,” Trip called, failing to hide his amusement.

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Skye shoved another shirt into her duffle bag before shooting a glare in his direction.

Trip stood leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, and a shit-eating grin on his face.

“We going on a vacation?”

“ _We’re_ not going anywhere,” she huffed.

“So why the packing?”

“Do you seriously need to ask?” She muttered in annoyance as she struggled to get the zipper closed.

Trip sighed.

“Skye, as cute as your foray into murder theatre was, I think moving out is a little extreme.”

“I refuse to share a room with the woman who tried to kill my little bean’s dad,” Skye snapped irritably as she threw her bag over her shoulder and kicked her bottom drawer closed. “Who knows when she’ll decide it needs to go too,” she said, giving her middle a protective pat before heading for the door.

“Calm down there, mama bear,” Trip said as he grabbed her by the shoulders and led her towards her bed. “You and I both know that Jemma would never do anything like that.”

“She already did,” Skye growled, not happy that he was treating her like a child.

“Okay, fine,” he replied calmly, helping her onto her bed and taking her bag before moving to his knees so he could meet her eyes. “Jemma crossed a line, I get that. But Skye, she would never hurt you, or that baby.”

“She already has,” Skye whispered angrily, hating that she was close to tears. “And if she ever goes near him again, I will kill her.”

“I don’t doubt that for a minute.”

“Good. Now can I go?”

Trip raised one eyebrow.

“Go where, exactly? The last time I checked, you’re still a wanted fugitive.”

“He has a point,” a quiet, terrified voice called from the doorway.

It took every ounce of self-restraint Skye possessed not to throw something right at Jemma’s face.

“I’m going to stay with my mom,” Skye answered Trip, ignoring Jemma. “Aside from you, she’s the only person I still trust.” Her eyes moved to Jemma, and if looks could kill, Jemma would be on the ground.

Jemma stammered for a moment.

“I know you’re angry, Skye, and you have every right to be, but don’t you think this is a bit of an overreaction?”

“Overreaction?” Skye snapped, jumping to her feet. “You tried to kill the father of my child!” Skye yelled, getting right in Jemma’s face. “If you think for one second that I would even turn my back to you, let alone be stuck sharing a room with you, then you’re even stupider than I thought.”

“Skye, I said I was sorry!” Jemma sobbed.

“And you think that fixes everything?” Skye cried.

“You threatened to kill me! I think we’re even.”

Skye chuckled and shook her head as her entire body went cold with rage.

“Do not think for even a second that we’re even,” Skye said slowly, backing Jemma up against the wall. “That was to let everyone know that Ward is off limits. That had nothing to do with you.

Let’s get one thing square between us. I don’t trust you. I will never trust you. I don’t even want to look at you, let alone breathe the same air as you.

And don’t you dare think there is any way in hell I’m going to let you anywhere near this baby, even while she’s in the womb. Because I don’t trust that you won’t try to kill her too.”

“Skye,” Jemma sobbed, reaching for her but Skye stepped back, disgusted.

“Ward may be a monster, but at least he never made excuses for what he is.”

Skye threw her bag over her shoulder and headed for the door, pausing to take one last look at Jemma.

“You’re so much worse than he is,” Skye whispered before walking away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don’t be mad at either of my girls, they’re a mess.


	13. (Skye) I Am Left Hoping

“I don’t need therapy,” Skye insisted, not looking up from the code she was working on.

“Baby girl, please,” Coulson pleaded. “You’ve been through a trauma. You’re not handling it well-”

“I’m coping just fine.”

“No, you’re not,” he argued. “You’re not sleeping, you’re barely eating-”

“That’s the morning sickness,” she lied.

“You’re still not speaking to your best friend,” he continued, ignoring her.

“I speak to Trip every day,” she replied.

“Jemma’s already sleeping better after just one session with Andrew. Just give it a try.”

Skye scowled at the mention of _her_.

“I don’t give a damn about-

Wait, Andrew?”

Hadn’t her grandmother mentioned her mom had almost married an Andrew? There was no way in hell they’d bring her mom’s ex here to be her _shrink_ , right?

Coulson realized he’d fucked up, but it was too late now-She _knew_.

“Did…was mom engaged to someone else before you?”

She could feel he wanted to lie but something on her face must have reminded him he’d done enough lying because he let out a long sigh.

“No. Your mom and I got together not long after we began at The Academy,” he whispered in defeat.

Skye wasn’t an idiot. She knew what that meant.

“So that’s why she stopped looking for me.”

“Skye, that’s not what happened-”

“Of course, it is,” she replied numbly, her fingers frozen over the computer keys.

She had deluded herself into thinking that whatever had happened in Bahrain had destroyed her mother to the point that she’d finally accepted her child’s death. But the truth was she’d started a new life, one with a new man and a new family. She’d stopped looking because she didn’t need her anymore.

“Sweetheart,” Coulson began but Skye ignored him.

She stood and shoved past him, battling the tears that threatened to flood out.

“Was he worth it?” Skye called angrily as she slammed the door to Coulson’s office behind her.

Her mom glanced up from the map she was making notes on with a frown.

“Skye, if this is about Ward, it meant nothing.”

She scoffed in disgust.

“Not him. _Andrew_. Was he worth leaving me out there on my own? Living on the streets? Out of a damn van?”

“I’m going to kill your father,” she sighed, rubbing her temples.

“Don’t blame dad for this. Did you really think you could bring him here and I wouldn’t figure it out? I’m not an idiot, mother.”

“Skye, that was a long time ago-”

“Right around the time you stopped looking for me, I’m guessing.”

Melinda shot her a pained look.

“That’s not what happened.”

“No? Enlighten me then.”

“I met Andrew because Nick forced me to see a therapist. He was one of SHIELD’s shrinks on staff and I was there trying to deal with losing you. Everyone thought I was crazy for not giving up hope and-” She paused, unable to find the words.

“He made you agree with them.”

Melinda closed her eyes but that didn’t hide the shame written all over her face.

“How could you move on?”

“I thought you were dead, Skye!”

“No, you didn’t! You kept looking!”

“Because I was broken and paranoid and-”

“Right!” Skye screamed. “You were right! I was out there, looking for you, but you gave up on me!”

“I had to, Skye! It was killing me!”

All the lonely nights when she’d barely gotten through the day flashed through her mind.

“Yeah, well I was literally dying out there. Days without shelter or food…Until I got that van. And even then, I was always on guard, terrified someone would break in and kill me, or worse.”

“I’m so sorry,” Melinda whispered, standing to take Skye’s face in her hands. “I can never make that up to you, Skye, but I didn’t know you were out there.”

“You _knew_.”

“No, I needed to believe you were out there, because it was better than accepting the fact that you were gone.

I remember holding you in my arms and you weren’t breathing…” Tears spilled from her eyes. “Crib death is what they called it back then…They took you from me at the hospital before pumping me full of drugs and when I woke up, they said you were dead, and I was never okay after that.

I was never able to accept you were gone and it led me down some dark paths…

I only got close to Andrew because he made me feel like I wasn’t crazy. He genuinely wanted to help me get better. And yes, Skye, he got me to stop looking, because he helped me finally accept that I’d lost you.

But I never stopped loving you. Or wishing you’d show up at my doorstep.

All I ever wanted was to get you back.

And I’m sorry, Skye,” she whispered. “I will never forgive myself for not finding you sooner.”

Skye wiped away her own tears and stared down at the ground, trying not to lose it.

“I’m not seeing him. I can’t. I already hate him.”

“It’s okay,” Melinda whispered, pulling Skye into her arms. “You don’t have to do anything,” she insisted, stroking Skye’s hair.

“I love you, mom.”

“I love you too, angel. You have no idea how much.”

Skye felt a flutter in her belly.

“I think I might,” she admitted.

She was already willing to die for a baby she hadn’t even met yet. That was true love. The same love she knew her own mother felt for her.

Melinda kissed her temple and held her tighter.

“I promise you, I’ll never give up on you.”

Skye hugged her back. That was all she’d needed to hear.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“You convinced me I was delusional!”

Skye was at one end of the hallway, but she could hear her mother’s screaming loud and clear.

“Told me I wasn’t processing my grief and that I was making up stories, so I wouldn’t have to admit my daughter had died! That I felt guilty and I blamed myself and that I had PTSD!”

“Melinda, I’m sorry,” Skye heard a man say as she lingered outside of the room.

“Oh, you’re ‘sorry’?” She screeched. “My little girl was out there all alone and you’re the reason I stopped looking! You were supposed to help me!”

“Calm down, Melinda-”

“ _Oh_ , don’t you dare tell me to ‘calm down’-”

“Eavesdropping is a terrible habit.”

Skye rolled her eyes.

“I’m just being a good spy, _dad_.”

Coulson wrapped one arm around her, turning her away from the door, but before he could lead her away, they could hear something breaking and Skye knew her mom was losing it on Andrew.

Good.

He deserved it.

“You’re not coming anywhere near her!” She warned on her way out.

“And you!” She snapped upon spotting Coulson. “As if I would let _him_ be her therapist. What were you thinking?”

“That we can trust him! Like it or not, he’s one of the few allies we have.”

The look she gave him would have terrified any other man, but Phil Coulson was used to his ex-wife’s rage.

“This isn’t an option. I’m putting my foot down as the Director. Her first session is tomorrow.”

“You don’t want to do this, Phillip,” she warned.

Skye looked between them, sensing whatever momentary truce they’d called when she’d found them in bed together was now over.

“It’s already done, Melinda.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“So, that’s everything, huh?” Skye whispered, staring down into her empty ice cream pint before meeting her mom’s eyes. They’d spent the last few hours filling each other in on all of the things the other didn’t know yet, including how she’d been brought into this world.

“What else do you want to know?” May offered, reaching for Skye’s hand.

“Nothing, I guess,” she sighed. “I just hate all of this,” she admitted. “It isn’t fair. None of this is…” She shook her head. “My entire life has been so fucked up.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Skye insisted, giving her mom a small smile. “None of this was your fault. It’s his.”

“I’m still sorry.”

“I know.”

Skye ran a hand over the barely visible bump under her sweater.

“Do you think she’s going to hate me?”

“Baby girl, why would she hate you?”

Skye met her eyes with tears in her own.

“For sending her dad away?”

“Oh baby,” May whispered, wrapping her arms around Skye. “You’re doing what you think is right. She’ll see that, someday.”

Skye hugged her mom back, burying her face in her neck as she fought back tears.

She didn’t want any of this. She didn’t want to send him away. But if she didn’t, he’d be in danger. And even though she didn’t trust him to be a father, she couldn’t let him die.

She still loved him too much for that. 


	14. (Skye) Someday, I'll Breathe Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Sunday, fellow sluts.

**_July 2014_ **

“You know, your mother will have a fit if she finds you here, Margaret.”

Skye kept her hand against the door, where it had been for the last ten minutes while she worked up the nerve to walk away. She knew better than to be here. If she saw him, she would never be able to go through with this. And as much as she wanted to see him, to be selfish for once, she’d be putting him and this baby in danger if he stayed.

“So let her,” Skye whispered, still frozen in place.

_Maybe we can go away,_ she thought _. Leave all of this behind. Find a way to be happy._

Lian placed a hand on Skye’s shoulder and Skye took a moment to compose herself before looking back at her. It was useless, of course. Her eyes had been red for days. After she and her mom moved back onto the bus, all Skye had done was cry.

No matter how strong she pretended to be in front of everyone else, when she was locked in his old bunk, clutching his pillow, all she could do was despair over the fact that any day now she was going to lose him forever.

She hated him for doing this to them. To her. But she couldn’t stop loving him.

Damn him.

“Come, dear. The boy will still be there in the morning.”

“I don’t want to go,” Skye whispered. “I don’t feel like a party.”

It was her birthday, a fact that she was reminded of when her father had decided to burst onto the bus at midnight to bring her an entire sheet cake. Sure, she’d eaten most of it on her own, but that was because the baby wanted it, not her.

She’d never celebrated her birthday before, and she didn’t feel like starting now.

“Then don’t go.”

Lian led her away from Ward’s door, looking Skye over as they walked.

“When was the last time you slept?”

Skye shrugged. Between the morning sickness, being angry with Jemma, wanting to kill _and_ kiss Ward, and their baby making her need to pee every five minutes, sleep was hard to come by.

Lian ‘tsked’ in disapproval as she reached up to run a hand through Skye’s tangled hair.

“Don’t worry, sweet girl, your grandmother will get you feeling like yourself soon.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“I hate him,” Skye muttered, her eyes filled with tears.

Melinda ran a hand through her hair and kissed her temple.

“Do you regret not saying goodbye?”

“No,” she lied, clutching his stuffed dog to her chest.

“Baby girl,” Melinda sighed, pulling her closer.

“I wish I could be strong like you,” Skye cried, pressing her face against Melinda’s shirt.

Melinda chuckled.

“My sweet girl, you’re so much stronger than you know. You’ll get through this.”


	15. (Skye) Holds My Love (In His Hands)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You get two chapters this fine Sunday.

**_August 2014_ **

_“My sweet girl, you’re so much stronger than you know. You’ll get through this.”_

But she wasn’t.

It had been a month and every day she felt closer to breaking.

She hated to admit it, but maybe Andrew was right, and she was headed for a full-blown breakdown.

“Skye, how long does it take to grab bandag-

Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Jemma,” Skye lied, turning her back to her so she could pretend she was gathering supplies instead of sobbing about her criminal boyfriend in a closet.

“No, you’re not. You’ve been crying,” Jemma whispered softly, placing a hand on her shoulder. “What’s wrong? You know you can tell me anything.”

“I’m twenty weeks pregnant, Jemma,” she sighed, wiping at her face with the sleeve of one of Ward’s sweaters (which were the only things that fit her anymore).

Jemma glanced at her, clearly wanting to push, but since they’d made-up she’d been hesitant to smother her like before, and Skye liked it that way.

“I’m fine, Jemma,” she insisted, walking past her.

Jemma sighed, following her down the hall.

“Okay, but if you’re ever not fine, you’ll come to me?”

Skye rolled her eyes.

“I already have a mother, Jemma -I don’t need another.”

“I just,” Jemma reached out and grabbed hold of her arm. “I know you’re still angry with me, and I don’t blame you, but I just…

Skye, I hate that you don’t trust me anymore. I just want us to be okay.”

“Jem,” Skye said, meeting her eyes. “We’re okay. I just don’t feel like crying to you every time my hormones make me cry. This morning it was because I didn’t have a matching pair of socks. At lunch it was because the bread on my sandwich wasn’t toasted enough. I’m a pregnant basket case. I promise, when it’s something real, you’ll be the third person I cry to,” she teased with a small smile.

A frown formed on Jemma’s lips.

“That’s not funny.”

“It’s a little funny,” Skye teased with a wink before walking away.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“I wish you’d just admit what’s really wrong!” Jemma cried, her tear-stained face as red as a beet.

“There is nothing wrong, Jemma!” She was getting sick of this. Jemma was trying too hard and pushing all of the wrong buttons. What did she want her to do? Go back to not speaking to her so she could wallow in her guilt?

“I know you miss him!” Jemma called when Skye turned her back to her. “And you won’t talk to me about it because of what I did. But Skye, you need to talk to _someone_. Your mom, Trip, Andrew. Anyone. You’re not coping, Skye. Pretending to hate him isn’t going to fix that hole in your heart.”

“Two months of therapy and she thinks she’s a therapist,” Skye scoffed, shaking her head.

Jemma ran a hand over her face in frustration.

“You need help, Skye.”

“No, what I need is for you to get off my dick about this.”

“Fine. Then let’s talk about how you still don’t trust me.”

“Jemma,” Skye groaned, sick of this shit. “How many times do I have to tell you that I forgive you before you believe it?”

“I’ll believe it when we’re us again. We used to tell each other everything and now all you do is shut me out. I just wish you’d talk to me about what you’re feeling instead of bottling it all up.”

The vein in Skye’s temple began to throb. She couldn’t handle Jemma’s fragile ego on top of all the other shit she had to juggle these days.

“I’m not shutting you out, Jemma.

I just…

What’s the point?”

It wasn’t just Jemma she’d shut out. She’d put up a wall surrounding all of her feelings about Ward and going through this pregnancy alone and knowing she was going to be a single mom. It was easier this way. Easier to hate him. Why couldn’t Jemma get that through her head? Wasn’t she supposed to be a damn genius?

Taking her hand, Jemma looked Skye in the eyes.

“The point is that you’re my best friend and you’re in pain and I know I can’t fix it, but I can listen.”

That was Jemma’s problem, she had this need to fix everyone. And since there was no fixing Fitz, Skye was her new target.

“Jemma, I don’t want to talk. I just want to get on with my life.”

“Ignoring it isn’t going to help.”

“Neither is talking to you about the man I love when you’re the reason I had to send him away!” Skye snapped. A second later, when the pregnancy rage passed, her stomach fell.

“Jem, I didn’t mean that.”

She took a step back, staring at Skye like she’d just stabbed her in the heart.

“What do you mean I’m the reason you sent him away?”

“Nothing, Jemma. It’s the hormones.”

“You…You really think I’d try to kill him again?”

“No,” Skye insisted. “You are not the reason I sent him away. Okay? You just made me realize it’s what was best for him.”

“What in the hell does that mean?”

“Jem, you loved Ward too. And if you were capable of doing that to him…

Jemma, it was only a matter of time before someone tried to kill him. And as angry as I still am with him about everything, I could never let that happen to him.” She ran a hand over her bump protectively. “He’s still her dad. I had to keep him safe and after what he did to you and Fitz…He deserves to be in prison, Jemma.

And yes, I will always love him, but I also hate him so much. And that isn’t me forcing myself to hate him to get over how hard it is to lose him. I genuinely despise him. And myself. Because even though I know what he is now, a part of me still wants him here with us.

Please don’t cry,” Skye pleaded as Jemma hiccupped back sobs.

“Everything is terrible!” Jemma wailed, covering her face.

Skye couldn’t help it-She laughed.

“This isn’t funny!”

“What else am I supposed to do?

You’re right. Everything is horrible! And I’m so sick of crying.”

“Those pregnancy hormones are really kicking in, aren’t they?” Jemma sniffled, still hiccupping.

Skye shrugged.

“I guess she has a sense of humor.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“This is _insane_ ,” Skye hissed, doing her best to chase after Jemma.

“You’re not talking me out of this.”

“Someone needs to! You’re going to get yourself killed!”

Skye ignored the looks being sent their way as she finally caught up to Jemma outside the base doors and grabbed her arm, forcing her to meet her eyes.

“Don’t do this because of me.”

Jemma rolled her eyes as the hangar doors closed behind them, giving them privacy.

“Contrary to popular belief, Skye, not everything is about you.”

“Then why are you being so stupid?”

“I am not-”

“Going to work for Hydra is the stupidest fucking thing anyone could do.”

Jemma sighed.

“The Director needs someone on the inside-”

“So it has to be you?”

“They recruited me, remember? I am one of the most sought-after scientists in the world, Skye. It’s not crazy to take advantage of that.”

Skye rubbed her temples to keep from snapping.

“Have you forgotten that you are literally the worst liar in the world? How are you supposed to pull this off?”

“I’ve been practicing,” she insisted.

“Oh yes, ‘practicing’,” Skye mocked.

“I can do this.”

“Why would you want to?”

“For Fitz!” Jemma snapped.

Skye crossed her arms, confused.

“How is this going to help Fitz?”

“Look,” she sighed. “As much as I hate to admit it, because everything they do is for nefarious reasons, Hydra does have far more technological advancements when it comes to the mind-”

“Yeah, because they use mind control.”

Jemma ignored her.

“They may have a way for us to bring Fitz back.”

“And if they don’t?”

“Then it’s still worth the risk to try.

If it were Grant, wouldn’t you do the same?”

Skye narrowed her eyes angrily. She’d told Jemma her fear that he’d been brainwashed in a moment of weakness and guilt, not for her to throw it back in her face.

“I’m sorry, Skye, but I have to do this.”

“Everyone is going to hate you.”

“Good. Then that means my cover is working. No one can know why I’m leaving.”

“Not even Hunter?”

Jemma’s face fell.

“He’ll get over it when I come home.”

“If you come home.”

Jemma wrapped her arms around Skye, giving her a quick, but firm, hug.

“I promise, I’ll be fine.”

“You’re such a bad liar.”


End file.
